2007 Volume 76 Issue 4 Pages 327-332
The effect of plant density and variety on allometry in Gypsophila paniculata L. was studied. Increasing plant density significantly reduced fresh weight, total branch length (the sum of the lengths of all primary branches), number of dichasia, number of florets per dichasium, and total number of florets in cut flowers in ‘New Face’. The relationships between fresh weight and the total branch length, number of dichasia, and total number of florets were negatively allometric, isometric, and positively allometric, respectively. There were allometric relationships between fresh weight and the number of dichasia, number of florets per dichasium, and total number of florets on each branch order. The allometric exponents of regression relating the number of dichasia and the total number of florets to fresh weight increased from lower- to higher-order branches. On the other hand, the allometric exponents of regression relating the number of florets per dichasium to fresh weight were similar in almost all orders. Significant differences were found in fresh weight and parameters of inflorescence architecture among varieties grown under identical plant density. Allometric exponents relating the total branch length and number of dichasia to fresh weight, varied, and those relating the total number of florets to fresh weight were stable among varieties grown under identical plant density.
