ISHS Acta Horticulturae 407: ISHS Brassica Symposium - IX Crucifer Genetics Workshop
MATHEMATICAL MODEL OF CAULIFLOWER CURD ARCHITECTURE BASED ON BIOMETRICAL ANALYSIS |
| Authors: | M. Kieffer, M.P. Fuller, A.J. Jellings |
| Keywords: | Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis, morphology, meristems, inflorescence, fractal |
| Abstract:
The cauliflower curd is a large 'preinflorescence' with a complex morphology characterised by a high degree of ramification, little internode extension, and an accumulation of meristematic domes. Biometric analysis of curd ramification revealed a lack of dominance between branches of different Order (primary hierarchical sequence) and Position (secondary hierarchical sequence), and a constancy of both organogenic and plastochronic apical activity. This constancy explains the highly organised morphology of curd and enabled an architectural model of curd growth to be developed. A mathematical model was constructed to determine the number of ramifications of each Order, and the number of meristematic domes, which create the curd. The figures are very large, and suggest that previous estimates were extremely conservative. It is shown that over 10x106 apical meristems are carried by a curd of marketable size, revealing the massive potential of this tissue for micropropagation from in vitro shoot regeneration. | |
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