PHOTOPERIODISM
The biological measurement of the
relative lengths of day and night
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS
Photoperiodism
Photoperiodism the response by an organism to
synchronise its body with changes in day length
At high latitudes this is important because the
change in length of the day indicates the season
Days getting shorter indicate winter approaching
Days getting longer indicate summer approaching
Some plants regulate their flowering this way
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS
The control of flowering
Change in day length
Photoperiod mechanism
in the leaves
“Florigen” hormone
Flower buds
Flowering
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS
Response to day length
Response varies with age of the plant and
varies in its intensity
Broadly there are three categories.
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS
Response to day length
RESPONSE DAY LENGTH EXAMPLES
LONG-DAY PLANTS >9-16 h Red clover > 9h
Oats > 12h
Winter wheat > 12h
SHORT-DAY PLANTS < 10-16 h Chrysanthemum < 15h
(“LONG-NIGHT” Tobacco < 14h
PLANTS)
DAY-NEUTRAL Do not respond Cucumber
PLANTS to day length Holly
Maize
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS
Response to day length
CRITICAL DAY LENGTH
CRITICAL NIGHT
LENGTH
Chrysanthemum
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS
The night break phenomenon
For plants with a critical night length, a
short flash of light in the middle of the night
would make the plant behave as if it had
been exposed to a long day
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS
The quality of the light
The wavelength of the light used is important
Colour Wavelength SHORT-DAY LONG-DAY
Far red >700nm Stimulates Reverses
light
Red light 670 – 680nm Inhibits Stimulates
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS
The pigment
This indicated that there should be a
pigment that absorbs red light
Therefore the pigment should be…
blue-green
This pigment is the mechanism capable of
recognising changes in day length
PHYTOCHROME
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS
The photoperiod mechanism
Phytochrome exists in two versions which
are inter-convertible
PR that absorbs red light
PFR that absorbs far red light
RED LIGHT
660nm
PR PFR
FAR RED
LIGHT 730nm
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS
In the short-day plant
PFR PR builds up
Darkness (slow)
Far red light (fast)
Short-day
plants
FLORIGEN
Activated
FLOWERING
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS
In the long-day plant
Sunlight
Red light
PFR builds up PR
Long-day
plants
FLORIGEN
Activated
FLOWERING
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS
Summary
Sunlight
Red light
PFR builds up PR builds up
Darkness (slow)
Far red light (fast)
Long-day Short-day
plants plants
FLORIGEN FLORIGEN
Activated Activated
FLOWERING FLOWERING
© 2016 Paul Billiet ODWS
