Development and growth of two Lesquerella species grown under different temperatures during the reproductive period

The genus Lesquerella is a promising source of hydroxy fatty acids (HFA). Several species such as Lesquerella fendleri and Lesquerella mendocina are candidate crops for arid and semi-arid cropping systems. Several reports are available on the environmental effects on growth and yield in Lesquerella, but information on the effect of temperature on plant growth and development specifically during the reproductive period in Lesquerella is limited. The objective of this work was to determine the effect of two contrasting thermal regimes after flowering on time to maturity, plant growth and biomass allocation to the different organs in L. fendleri and L. mendocina. A greenhouse experiment was conducted with plants grown at a range of 11–23 °C during the vegetative phase. After this stage, 50% of the plants of each species remained under the same temperature regime until maturity, whereas the other 50% was transferred to another module subjected to a range of 17–31 °C until maturity. The duration of the reproductive phase was reduced by 23 days in plants of both species in the 17–31 °C treatment compared to those at 11–23 °C, although no differences were observed when the length of the reproductive phase was measured in thermal-time units. Total plant biomass for both species was 20% greater in the 11–23 °C treatment. In L. fendleri, this increment occurred due to more vegetative shoot biomass, whereas in L. mendocina it was associated with greater reproductive and root biomass. No changes in biomass allocation were produced by temperature in L. fendleri, while in L. mendocina the lower temperature regime increased allocation to the reproductive organs, at the expense of a lower allocation to vegetative shoot. These results could be used to predict the specific temperature effects after flowering on yield under field conditions, and suggest that L. mendocina might be a promising perennial alternative for cooler sites.