The relationship between phytochrome-photoequilibrium and Development in light grown Chenopodium album L

Chenopodium album seedlings were grown in light environments in which supplementary far-red light was mixed with white fluorescent light during various parts of the photoperiod. Both the logarithmic rate constant of stem extension and the leaf dry weight: stem dry weight ratio were linearly related to estimated phytochrome photoequilibrium (ϕ) in each treatment regime. These data are taken to be indicative of a functional link between phytochrome and development in the green plant. A layer of chlorophyllous tissue only affected the linearity between calculated ϕ and the logarithmic stem extension rate at high chlorophyll concentrations, whilst even low concentrations-equivalent to the levels found in stem tissue-caused a significant shift in measured ϕ. End-of-day supplementary far-red (FR) light induced between 0-35 per cent of the response elicited by all-day supplementary FR, whilst daytime supplementary FR (with a white fluorescent light end-of-day treatment) induced approximately 90 per cent. The ecological significance of this difference is discussed with respect to shade detection.