Studies on Flower Bud Differentiation in the Tea Plant (Part 4)

1. The influence of the day length and the light intensity on the flower development of the tea plant was studied in 1958 and 1959. The photoperiodic induction was observed under the light phase of 22-hours, 8-hours and natural day length in the 1st and the 2 nd tea season. The influence of the light intensity was observed under the low light intensity that was brought by the shade of black cloth and reed screen.2. The flower development was retarded under 22-hours light phase at the lst tea season and was accelerated under 8-hours at the 2nd tea season. Under the low light intensity, the number of flower buds of the tea plant was increased compared with the control plot, and in these plants the carbohydrate content and the C-N ratio were decreased than the control plants.3. It was considered that the flower development of the tea plant was promoted under the short day, but the photoperiodic response of the tea flower differentiation was weak and mainly depended upon the thermal induction. The flower development of the tea plant was not inhibited by the low light intensity or by low carbohydrate content that was brought from low light intensity condition.