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The article is dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the PetrSU Botanic Garden. The idea of its creation is ex- plained by its opportune location close to the northern boundaries of the nemoral species’ natural distribution, and also between the Polar-Alpine and St.-Petersburg botanical gardens, which is conducive to the creation of a link, an introduction point. The history of the Botanic Garden’s formation and development can be divided in three periods: organization (1950—60s), creation and formation of collections (1970—90s), modern stage (since 1990). The full characteristic of the Botanic Garden’s activity since its foundation time is presented. The themes of scientific-research works are detailed; the priority directions of the collections’ formation are elucidated. The contribution of the Botanic Garden’s employers, professors and students of PetrSU and other collaborators have been working for the Garden the last 50 years, is described. The nowadays development of the Botanic Garden is based on the three priority trends of its activity: formation of a new image of the Garden, attractive for visitors; study and preservation of the aboriginal flora’s biodiversity; working out and putting into practice of new infor- mation technologies in botanic gardens.

A method for investigating the thermoperiodicity of crop plants is described. On the basis of our experimental results and published data, crop plants were assessed to establish whether they were thermoperiodic or not. Tomato and maize were classified as thermoperiodic species. Cucumber, beans, peas, oats and wheat were not thermoperiodic. Strategies for climate control based on the estimation of optimum temperature are proposed. These can be used to minimize energy consumption and, together with other environmental treatments, could optimize the yield of glasshouse crops. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The effects of a pre-sowing seed treatment with a temperature drop (i.e., seed thermo-priming) on the growth and development of two popular bedding plant species, Tagetes patula nana L. (marigold) and Viola X wittrockiana Gams. (pansy), were studied. A temperature drop from 22°C to 10°C was applied for 2 h each day during seed germination, over the 6 d before sowing. This seed priming increased plant dry mass, hastened flowering in both species, and increased flower numbers in marigold, but not in pansy. An involvement of certain phytochromes in these temperature-dependent effects on time-to-flowering is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]