Studies of the Involvement of an Endogenous Rhythm in the Photoperiodic Response of Hyoscyamus niger

Abstract
An attempt was made to determine the involvement of an endogenous circadian rhythm in the flowering response of the long-day plant Hyoscyamus niger L. grown in a modified White's medium. Both variable-cycle-length and light interruption experiments were employed in this attempt. In the variable-cycle experiments, plants were subjected to light periods of 6, 12, or 18 hours followed by varying lengths of darkness. The total lengths of the cycles varied from 12 to 72 hours. In experiments utilizing a 6-hour photoperiod, a high level of flowering occurred in cycle lengths of 12, 36, and 60 hours. Flowering was suppressed in the 24-, 48-, and 72-hour cycles. When a 12-hour photoperiod was used the flowering response was low between 24 and 36 hours and flowering did not indicate a rhythmic response. When an 18-hour photoperiod was used, the flowering response was suppressed in the 36- and 60-hour cycles.