| Flower formation in the Cucurbitaceae family is compromised at high temperatures; both male and female flowers and therefore fruit productivity are greatly reduced as the growing temperatures for these vegetable crops are increased above 26C. This intractable phenomenon has been documented both with outdoor field experiments at various latitudes on the eastern seaboard in the USA and in a laboratory, temperature-regulated setting. We now report that an agricultural product, FP, which has been, and is used globally on many commercial crops to increase flower number and strength during blossom formation and development, overcomes the apparent refractory floral initiation and development at high temperatures. This is a new and unexpected finding.... |
