Temperature effects on node appearance in sugarcane

Plants of the Australian commercial sugarcane varieties Q117 and Q138 were grown to 6 months age in a controlled environment at temperatures of 14, 18, 22 and 26 degrees C, The rate of node appearance, which equates to the rate of leaf appearance, was significantly correlated with temperature across the temperature range examined. Analysis of the varietal rates of node deposition as a function of time allowed determination of both base temperature for node (hence leaf) appearance and phyllochron. The base temperatures for node appearance were 7.8 degrees C for Q117 and 7.6 degrees C for Q138, significantly lower than previously published base temperatures for leaf appearance in sugarcane. During the developmental stages covered by this study, phyllochron differed between the two varieties with Q117 requiring 108.7 degrees Cd per node, whilst Q4138 required 126.6 degrees Cd per node. This work reinforces the value of controlled environment research as a way of elucidating basic functions of plant growth and development.