Cultivation

Winter and spring forms — opium poppy

Papaver somniferum L.

In opium poppy, the division into winter and spring forms is determined not by genetic predisposition, as in cereals, but by agrotechnical sowing dates. Autumn sowing allows for the efficient use of moisture during the winter-spring period and the biological cold resistance of the seedlings.

In the reference 11 varieties crop Opium poppy, where this is mentioned in the description.

Opium poppy is classified as an annual plant for which the cold period is of key importance, promoting proper germination and development. Autumn sowings, often referred to as "winter poppy," allow seeds to undergo natural stratification, which ensures better plant adaptation to climatic conditions and increases yield through the formation of a greater number of capsules.

The species' cold resistance allows seeds to germinate at temperatures as low as 2–3 °C, and seedlings to withstand frosts down to –4 °C. Unlike cereal crops, where winter and spring forms differ in their vernalization requirements and photoperiodic responses, for opium poppy, the use of autumn sowing dates is a technological practice aimed at realizing the plant's biological potential in the conditions of a specific region.

General information about the subject — on the page Winter and spring forms.

Sources8

Varieties of Opium poppy mentioned in the description

Selection based on the description text, not on official evaluation: these data are absent from registers. For specific variety details, please refer to its profile.