Triticum aestivum (var. Marquis and Rideau): The effect of imbibition and vernalization on some parameters of root growth.

Abstract

The effect of a vernalizing temperature on the early root growth of spring and winter wheat (var. Marquis and Rideau) has been examined following two imbibition periods (5 and 14 hours), and 1--7 weeks of cold treatment. Completion of the thermo-phase, as verified by two standard biochemical methods' varied with the seed variety and the imbibition period. Four weeks of prior cold treatment provided the maximal impetus to germination regardless of the cereal variety, imbibition period, or thermo-phase requirement. A marked increase in cell number and a prolongation of the "mitotic-state" was observed to be co-incidental with the completion of the thermo-phase in both grain varieties. Changes in segment length, average cell length, fresh weight and dry weight per segment and per average cell of the primary root of these wheat varieties were also shown to be correlated with the completion of vernalization.