THE END OF FLOWERING IN PEA - INFLUENCE OF PLANT NITROGEN NUTRITION

The effect of plant nitrogen nutrition was analysed on the end of flow ering in pea. Plants were grown in a glasshouse. Non-nodulated plants were fed a nutrient solution rich (14 meq 1(-1)) in nitrogen. During v arious periods in the plant cycle the nutrient solution was replaced b y a solution without nitrogen, resulting in various periods of nitroge n starvation. The final number of flowering nodes was independent of t he growth patterns, but varied according to the nitrogen starvation pe riod: early and prolonged nitrogen starvation prematurely stopped the progression of flowering. The effect was similar on main stems and bra nches. The date of beginning of flowering and the rate of progression along the stem were similar for the various treatments. For all treatm ents, the end of flowering resulted from the non-development and non-g rowth of initiated nodes in the apex of the stems. (C) 1997 Elsevier S cience B.V.