Effects of temperature on seed production, seed quality and growth of Paspalum dilatatum.
Abstract
Eighteen biotypes collected from different sites were grown in a common environment and seeds from these biotypes were grown in four experiments in controlled-temperature glasshouses with a total of five treatments, ranging from 21 deg C day/16 deg C night to 33 deg C day/28 deg C night. The plants were evaluated for germination percentage, number of days to seedling emergence, plant dry weight, floret fertility and for several components of caryopsis yield. Significant variation in floret fertility, caryopsis yield and seedling growth occurred between all types in all experiments.<new para>ADDITIONAL ABSTRACT:<new para>The effect of temp. on seed production and quality of P. dilatatum ecotypes was studied in controlled environment greenhouses. Seed yield was max. at low temp. (21/16 deg C) due to a higher percentage of florets containing caryopses and higher caryopsis wt. These plants took longer to flower, had larger inflorescences and longer seed maturation than plants at higher temp. Seedling emergence and growth increased with increasing temp. There were variations between ecotypes in seed production and temp. response.