Quote:
Originally Posted by maf
The way I read it is if you have a consistent two leaves between inflorescences on a stem the habit can be classified as semi-determinate, if the average is between one and two then it is determinate.
Travis, this example I would think is a classic case of semi-determinate:
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Only if the meristem terminates with an inflorescence, correct?
If the meristem does not terminate, then it is indeterminate, or some variation of indeterminate, regardless of the internode spacing, I would think.
And that is why I suggest, rather than pawn it off to "environmental conditions," maybe such indeterminate growth with more frequent inflorescence spacing may be the result of as yet unclassified genetics, and might be called "semi-indeterminate."
Quote:
Originally Posted by maf
I think the six inflorescences on a stem categorization should be ignored as given the right cultural and environmental conditions I am sure determinate plants can exceed this. My experience of determinate plants is that they will continue to flower and fruit indefinitely with no termination if protected from disease and frost.
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I think close examination of such plants will show the "indefinite" series of flower and fruit production is on the side shoots, which all eventually terminate, and may themselves produce additional fruit yielding side shoots which also will terminate.
If you look at the paper linked in the original post, the focus is on the main stem (meristem) and the classifications are with respect to the number of inflorescences before the meristem terminates for sp and sdt (self-pruning and semi-determinate respectively), and for a non-terminating meristem for sp+ (indeterminate).