The Effect of Environment on Formation and Suppression of Growth of Underground Reproductive Organs in Field Horsetail (Equisetum arvense L.)

Abstract

The effects of environmental conditions on formation and suppression of growth of vegetative reproductive organs in field horsetail (Equisetum arvense L.) were examined.
The growth of shoots, elongation of rhizomes and formation of tubers were considerably more active under 16 hour photoperiod conditions than under 8 hour photoperiod conditions (Table 1).
The effects of flooding were also investigated. Flooding treatment immediately after planting of tubers resulted in the dormancy of tubers. Emergent conditions after sprouting of tubers rather promoted shoot growth and rhizome elongation but suppressed tuber formation. Submergence conditions after sprouting of tubers suppressed the growth of shoots, rhizome elongation and tuber formation (Table 2, Fig. 1). Rhizomes were more tolerant to adverse environmental conditions such as high temperature and drought than tubers (Fig. 3, 4).