Vernalization Defined

Vernalization:

Zachary Becker

Vernalization is the overwintering of plants to promote flowering in the spring.  Its name is derived from the latin word vernus, which means of the spring. It was discovered in the late nineteenth century by Gassner, a german botanist who also fiddled with other research in phytopathology (plant pathology), and plant physiology.  Some plants that require vernalization are fruit trees such as peach or plum trees, which need it in order to bloom. Some other examples include winter wheat, and winter rye. Some of these plants cannot flower unless they are exposed to the cold, which can confuse some houseplant owners.  Vernalization can be imitated by putting the plants in a refrigerator, or freezer for a duration of time, depending on the zone that the plant is found in, and the temperature is usually between 5-10 degrees Celsius. The temperature and duration depend on the plant in question.

Vernalization can affect the output of a greenhouse, since if the plants are put in heat for an entire year without cold, they won’t get any bloom development. The best time to sell a vernalized plant is directly after it blooms, during the growth period. Since the plant needs to spend most of its energy making blooms, the plant can die off quickly if not taken care of. After these blooms are gone, then it would be beneficial to either move the plant to a larger pot, or to fertilize it with root-growing food.

 

Michaels, S. D., and R. M. Amasing. "Memories of Winter: Vernalization and the Competence to Flower." Plant, Cell and Nvironment. Department of Biochemistry, 2000. Web.

"Vernalization, Competence, and the Epigenetic Memory of Winter." Vernalization, Competence, and the Epigenetic Memory of Winter. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Oct. 2013.