It is normally only during the adult vegetative phase that plants are capable of forming reproductive organs, and day length-dependent plants can be induced to flower by photoperiodic induction during this phase.
Reproductive phase commences as the plant begins to flower but biomass production can continue if soil moisture is available and temperature is below 30ºC. Flowering can recommence if rain follows high temperatures. Maximal reproductive success depends on the timing of flowering—and on balancing the number of seeds produced with resources allocated to individual seeds.
Flowering in vetch is indeterminate, occurring from axillary buds on the main stem and branches. It proceeds from lower to higher nodes. Each flower produces a pod containing multiple seeds. Flowers consist of reproductive organs that are surrounded by specialized leaves called sepals and petals. Brightly colored petals can attract animal pollinators. A flower is pollinated when a pollen grain reaches the tip of the female reproductive structure.
For soybean plant, the biological cycle is divided into the vegetative and reproductive phases. The reproductive stage begins with the appearance of first floral buds in soybean varieties of determinate growth habit, or the appearance of the first raceme in varieties of indeterminate growth habit. The reproductive phase ends at harvest.
For rice plant, the first sign that the plant is getting ready to enter its reproductive phase is a bulging of the leaf stem that conceals the developing panicle, called the ‘booting’ stage. Then the tip of the developing panicle emerges from the stem and continues to grow.
Main growth stages: Reproductive phase
