REVERSION AND REINDUCTION OF FLOWERING IN PERILLA

Lam , S. L., and A. C. Leopold . (Purdue U., Lafayette, Indiana.) Reversion and reinduction of flowering in Perilla. Amer. Jour. Bot. 48(4): 306–310. Illus. 1961.—Plants of Perilla crispa (Thunb.) Tanaka ultimately revert to the vegetative state provided that they have received not more than about 20 cycles of short photoperiods. Reversion is markedly promoted by repeated debudding of plants induced with 35 cycles or less. Reverted plants of Perilla could be reinduced twice by photoperiodic treatment of the originally induced leaves. Timing experiments to measure the flow of flower stimulus from induced leaves suggest a gradual loss of the stimulus, as indicated by increased time to appearance of flowers and decreased flower number. It is concluded that after the inductive treatment is withdrawn, the effectiveness of the flower stimulus coming from the leaf declines with time. It is suggested that reversion is made possible by the decline of effective flower stimulus coming from the induced leaves.