Effect of day length on reaction of sunflowers to Verticillium wilt

Abstract

Symptoms of Verticillium wilt on inoculated plants of the sunflower cultivar Sunrise appeared sooner and were more severe under long days (16 h light, 8 h dark), or short days with interrupted dark period (10 h light, [Formula: see text] dark, [Formula: see text] light, [Formula: see text] dark), than under short days (10 h light, 14 h dark). Uninoculated control plants flowered in 45 to 47 days under short-day conditions, but reached only the yellow bud stage in 50 to 55 days under long days or short days with interrupted dark period. Development of Verticillium wilt of sunflower is not dependent on the initiation of flowering as it is in some other hosts.