The onset of flowering is an important step during the lifetime of a flowering plant. During the past two decades, there has been enormous progress in our understanding of how internal and external (environmental) cues control the transition to reproductive growth in plants. Many flowering time regulators have been identified from the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Most of them are assembled in regulatory pathways, which converge to central integrators which trigger the transition of the vegetative into an inflorescence meristem. For crop cultivation, the time of flowering is of upmost importance, because it determines yield. Phenotypic variation for this trait is largely controlled by genes, which were often modified during domestication or crop improvement. Understanding the genetic basis of flowering time regulation offers new opportunities for selection in plant breeding and for genome editing and genetic modification of crop species.

The onset of flowering is an important step during the lifetime of a flowering plant. During the past two decades, there has been enormous progress in our understanding of how internal and external (environmental) cues control the transition to reproductive growth in plants. Many flowering time regulators have been identified from the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Most of them are assembled in regulatory pathways, which converge to central integrators which trigger the transition of the vegetative into an inflorescence meristem. For crop cultivation, the time of flowering is of upmost importance, because it determines yield. Phenotypic variation for this trait is largely controlled by genes, which were often modified during domestication or crop improvement. Understanding the genetic basis of flowering time regulation offers new opportunities for selection in plant breeding and for genome editing and genetic modification of crop species.

Chemicals that control plant growth have long been treated like a poor re lation of the herbicides yet in one manner of thinking, herbicides them selves are but one facet of the entire picture of plant growth regulation - a major fraction, to be sure, economically. It is now time to recognize that plant growth regulators should occupy an increasingly important role in agriculture. Sufficient numbers of uses having considerable economic re turn have already become established: (a) to increase the latex flow in the rubber trees; (b) to ripen sugarcane; (c) to control sprouting in onions and potatoes; (d) to shorten and strengthen wheat stems to prevent lodging; (e) to prevent premature deterioration; and (f) to permit control of timing for maximum utilization of crops. In addition, as energy becomes more difficult and costly to obtain, plant growth regulators will play an increasingly important role in energy conser vation as a result of increased yields due to their use . . There are a number of ways to present to the reader the role and effec tiveness of plant growth regulators. The one chosen here is to emphasize the effects on plant functions such as the induction of roots, the control of flowering, the control of sex, and the control of aging. Little emphasis has been placed on the basic research that has served as a background for the successes and potential successes discussed herein. N or is much attention paid to the mode of action of the various regulators.

Manipulation of Flowering presents the edited proceedings of the 45th University of Nottingham Easter School in Agricultural Science held at Sutton Bonington in England on April 7-10, 1986. This book is organized into eight sections. The first main section examines the measurement and prediction of flowering and analyzes how best to measure flowering when the aim is either to assist physiological interpretations or construct predictive models. The following sections explore juvenility, the nature of determination in meristems, vernalization, photoperiodic induction and flower evocation, and initiation and development to anthesis. Each of the main sections provides an analysis of the flowering problems and a critical view of how to achieve a better understanding and use of the physiology of flowering. This book will be of interest to crop researchers, plant physiologists, geneticists, and others interested in understanding flowering manipulation.

Chemicals that control plant growth have long been treated like a poor re lation of the herbicides yet in one manner of thinking, herbicides them selves are but one facet of the entire picture of plant growth regulation - a major fraction, to be sure, economically. It is now time to recognize that plant growth regulators should occupy an increasingly important role in agriculture. Sufficient numbers of uses having considerable economic re turn have already become established: (a) to increase the latex flow in the rubber trees; (b) to ripen sugarcane; (c) to control sprouting in onions and potatoes; (d) to shorten and strengthen wheat stems to prevent lodging; (e) to prevent premature deterioration; and (f) to permit control of timing for maximum utilization of crops. In addition, as energy becomes more difficult and costly to obtain, plant growth regulators will play an increasingly important role in energy conser vation as a result of increased yields due to their use . . There are a number of ways to present to the reader the role and effec tiveness of plant growth regulators. The one chosen here is to emphasize the effects on plant functions such as the induction of roots, the control of flowering, the control of sex, and the control of aging. Little emphasis has been placed on the basic research that has served as a background for the successes and potential successes discussed herein. N or is much attention paid to the mode of action of the various regulators.