Re: Some questions... I will try to clarify...

>...  The greater the difference between high day temp and cool night 
>temp is a positive "dif" and this will promote stem elongation.  Cool 
>day and warmer night is a negative "dif" and will act as a growth 
>regulator and cause stems to not elongate.  All of this interacts with 
>average temperature which hastens or retards maturity. 


Wow.  This is highly interesting.  Here are some questions:

Is stem elongation something we want to promote?  Perhaps at some stages 
of development but not others?  When you talk about stem elongation, do 
you know if that affects the number of leaf junctures?  If with this 
elongation you are getting more leaf junctures, then you have greater 
opportunity for the plant to develop auxiliary root systems when we bury 
the vines.  But if the number of leaf junctures is static, then perhaps 
a stem with less elongation would be thicker or sturdier or better able 
to transport nutrients or resist splitting.  

The facts about temperature differentials seem very logical - I would 
expect greater differentials in late spring when the plant is expanding, 
and lower ones with warmer summer nights when the plant's energy is 
going into development of the fruit.  But to think that we might have 
some influence over these stages is tantalizing.  Then if we could 
figure out how to manipulate the differentials, in what direction and 
exactly when would it be a benefit?

Hey Rick Noffke - are you checking the archives??  Where are you on this 
one?

Thanks, Allen.  This is great information!

Beth Rado

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