Effects of Number of Photoperiodic Cycles on Induction and Development of Flowers and Fruits in Corchorus olitorius L. (var. oniyaya Epen.)

Plants of Corchorus olitorius, a short-day plant, were subjectedto varying numbers of short-day cycles before transfer to longdays. Treatments started after germination of the seeds at thetime of cotyledon release. Four short-day cycles (10 h naturaldaylight followed by 14 h darkness) were sufficient to induceflowering in all plants. The number of flowers and fruits producedon a plant increased as the number of short-day cycles was increasedfrom three to 30. Plants given three to seven short-day cyclesproduced flowers on the main stem only but when plants weremaintained in short days for longer periods, flowers were alsoproduced on the branches. The growth in d. wt of fruits wasgreatest when plants were maintained in short days throughout. Corchorus olitorius L., flowering, fruit development, photoperiodism