Flowering in Pisum: Does Gibberellic Acid Directly Influence the Flowering Process?

Abstract

Gibberellic acid is shown to cause a substantial delay in the flowering node, time of flower initiation and leaf requirement for flowering in the late pea cultivar line 24, grown under an 8-h photoperiod. In continuous light, gibberellic acid caused only a small delay in the flowering node and leaf require- ment. As the plants became older the effect of applied gibberellic acid decreased. This was not due to initiation having already occurred or to the gibberellic acid not penetrating the plant. It is suggested that gibberellic acid has a direct effect on the flowering process in line 24 plants grown under an 8-h photoperiod and that it may act by reducing the effect of age on the gene Sn.