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Published in Crop Sci 11:507-511 (1971)
© 1971 Crop Science Society of America
677 S. Segoe Rd., Madison, WI 53711 USA
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Nyctoperiod Modification During Late Summer and Autumn Affects Winter Survival and Heading of Grasses1

L. J. Klebesadel2

Subarctic-adapted and midtemperate-adapted cultivars of bromegrass (Bromus spp.), red fescue (Festuca rubra L.), and Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), springseeded in rows, were subjected to normally lengthening (9 to 15 hr.), artificially shortened (9 hr), lengthened (15 hr), and normal but interrupted (90 min light near midpoint) nyctoperiods3 from late August to killing frost in mid-October in subarctic, south-central Alaska. Nyctoperiod treatments influenced seedling stature, winter survival, and subsequent amount of heading. Shortened and interrupted nyctoperiods generally increased the height of seedlings and predisposed grasses to greatest winter injury. Subarctic-adapted native Alaskan bromegrass (B. pumpellianus Scribn.), ‘Polar’ bromegrass, ‘Nugget’ Kentucky bluegrass, and ‘Arctared’ red fescue headed most following normal subarctic nyctoperiods the previous autumn. Midtemperate-adapted ‘Southland’ bromegrass (B. inermis) was least whiter injured and headed most after exposure to artificially lengthened nyctoperiods that more closely approximated diurnal conditions during autumn at its latitude of adaptation. The same treatment virtually prevented heading in subarctic-adapted B. pumpellianus. Temperate-adapted ‘Merion’ Kentucky bluegrass and ‘Illahee’ red fescue sustained severe winter injury and headed little under all treatments.

Key Words: Bromus pumpellianus • Bromus inermis • Poa pratensis • Festuca rubra • Smooth bromegrass • Kentucky bluegrass • Creeping red fescue • Photoperiod • Subarctic • Latitudinal ecotypes • Floral induction • Floral initiation

1 Cooperative investigations of Plant Science Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture, and the University of Alaska Institute of Agricultural Sciences. Supported in part by grant 427-15-1 "Physiology of Flowering in Grasses Important to Alaska" from the Cooperative State Research Service, USDA. Alaska Inst. of Agr. Sci. Journal Paper No. J-114.

2 Research Agronomist, Plant Science Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Palmer, Alaska 99645.

Received for publication December 2, 1970.




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