1998 Volume 67 Issue 2 Pages 187-192
The purpose of this study was to clarify the internode elongation pattern and growth habits of indeterminate type cultivars of soybean.Internode elongation of the main stem was continuously observed for indeterminate type cultivars.Indeterminate type cultivars continued to elongate their stems for about one month after the beginning of flowering, while determinate ones stopped their elongation after 10 days.So, indeterminate type cultivars had much more internodes and the main stems were longer than those of determinate cultivars.Elongation of internodes on the main stems of indeterminate type cultivars began slowly at the early phase, followed by a rapid elongation during the mid-phase and again slowing down in the final phase.The final length of the first internode between the cotyledonary and primary nodes was rather long, while the 3rd internode was very short.Those of the internodes above the 3rd one became loger gradually, but some of the uppermost internodes were shorter in length.When the Nth leaf on the main stem began emerging, the (N-2)th internode elongated most rapidly, while the (N-4)th internode stopped elongation in indeterminate type cultivars.These patterns of internode elongation and synchronization were the same as those of determinate cultivars.This seems useful to control plant type in soybean.
