[Study on growth rhythm in populations of Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Breit]

To study the genetic diversity of Pinellia ternata. the growth rhythm.

Sixteen populations of P. ternata. originated mostly from middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River valley were collected and cultivated in Weigang Experimental Farm of Nanjing Agricultural University with same cultural conditions, whose differences in growth rhythm have been observed and compared continuously for two years.

There are obvious differences in sprouting, lamina spreading, bolting and "sprout tumble", Three times of "sprouting" and so-called "sprout tumble" and two fast-growing periods for plants in most of the populations in spring and autumn respectively were observed within a year, including mass bolting in May. But the starting time and duration are very different from population to population, with flowering being prior to sprouting in the population originated from Jurong county.