Einfluß von Hauptbestandsbildner (Lolium multiflorum Lam., Lolium X boucheanum Kunth, Lolium perenne L. und Dactylis glomerata L.), Narbendichte, N-Düngung und Zeit auf Ertrag, Energiedichte, P/E-Quotient und Nitratgehalt

The influence of main species (Lolium multiflorum Lam., Lolium X boucheanum Kunth, Lolium perenne L. and Dactylis glomerata L.), sward density, nitrogen and time on yield, energy content, crudeprotein/energy ratio and nitrate content The aim of this investigation was to determine the influence of different rates of nitrogen fertilizer and of varied sward density on yield and chemical composition of some non-perennial (Lolium multiflorum, Lolium X boucheanum) and some perennial species (Lolium perenne, Dactylis glomerata) in a field experiment. Excepted 600 kg N ha^?l - yr^?1 the non-perennial species produced the highest energy yields. At a fertilization level of 400 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1 had sward density an influence on energy yield of Lolium multiflorum. It appeared that almost the energy content of the Lolium species was higher than in Dactylis glomerata. In most cases there were little differences between the Lolium species. There was a positive correlation between the NFEcontent and the content of water soluble carbohydrates and the energy content which was depressed by applying increasing rates of fertilizer. Generally at the lowest rate of nitrogen used (200 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1) there were positive effects on crude protein/energy ratios. The crude protein/energy ratio was higher of Dactylis glomerata than that of the Lolium species. The nitrate content increased to critical values when applying 400 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1. Dactylis glomerata had the highest and Lolium perenne the lowest nitrate content. At high rate of fertilizer, plots with high sward density sometimes had higher nitrate contents than open swards. The results of the experiment indicate that there are differences in quality even between species with high performance. Regarding the quality of grass swards, future attention should be focused on the main species and on sward density.     

Growth Characteristics of Contrasting Varieties of Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.)

A field experiment was conducted to study growth characteristics of contrasting varieties of Lolium perenne (early heading: Gremie ; late heading Vigor ) in different growth/regrowth periods during 1984 and 1985. A growth function was fitted to data of weekly measurements of dry matter production (DM) and leaf area index (L) to derive the following parameters according to quantitative analysis of plant growth: crop growth rate (C), relative growth rate (R), leaf area ratio (LAR) and leaf weight ratio (LWR). Furthermore phenological development of the swards was recorded.
The chief differences in the growth potential of the varieties were found in primary growth on the one hand and in both investigated first regrowth periods on the other hand. In second and third regrowth periods no distinct differences were found either in DM nor in L regarding variety effects. In primary growth the early heading variety gained an advantage in DM, which was enhanced with prolonging growth period until the middle of June combined with a rapid reproductive development of the sward. Growth potential in the first regrowth period was determinated by the time of cutting in primary growth according to the development stage of the swards at cutting time. It was evident that highest values of DM and C were corresponding with a high amount of undamaged reproductive tillers in the sward. DM of vegetative summer regrowths were comparable, while in late summer/autumn under worsening environmental conditions a reduction in DM was observed. In opposite to that L developed rather similar in the investigated regrowth periods. According to this force of expression of L is discussed in relation to DM and phenological development of the swards.     

Impact of Phosphorus from Dairy Manure and Commercial Fertilizer on Perennial Grass Forage Production

Increased recovery and recycling of manure phosphorus (P) by crops on dairy farms is needed to minimize environmental problems. The main objective of this study was to compare P utilization by orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinaceae Schreb.) from dairy manure or inorganic fertilizer. The study was conducted from 1994 to 2000 at the Cornell University Baker Farm, Willsboro, NY, on a somewhat poorly drained Kingsbury clay (very–fine, illitic, mesic Aeric Epiaqualfs). The design was a split‐plot in a randomized complete block with two manure rates (16 800 and 33 600 kg ha^?1) and one nitrogen (N) fertilizer rate (84 kg N ha^?1 at spring greenup and 56 kg N ha^?1 prior to each regrowth harvest) as the main plots and grass species as subplots replicated six times. Fertilizer P [Ca(H₂PO₄)₂] was applied to the fertilizer treatment in 1995 and 1996 at 11 kg P ha^?1 year^?1. Orchardgrass P removal averaged 21 % higher than tall fescue P removal for the spring harvest, but orchardgrass averaged 24 % lower P removal than tall fescue removal for all regrowth harvests from 1995–99. Phosphorus herbage concentration in the fertilizer treatment was in the range of 1.9–2.7 g P kg^?1 compared with 2.2–5.3 g P kg^?1 in the manure treatments. Seasonal P removal ranged from as low as 9.2 kg P ha^?1 to as high as 48.5 kg P ha^?1. Morgan extractable soil P in the top 0–0.20 m remained high through 1999, with 29.1 kg P ha^?1 at the highest manure rate in tall fescue compared with 8.4 kg P ha^?1 measured in 1993 prior to the experiment. In 2000, soil P at the highest manure rate in tall fescue dropped to 10.1 kg P ha^?1, following cessation of manure application in 1998. Intensively managed harvested orchardgrass and tall fescue have the potential to remove large quantities of manure P.     

Effects of contrasting seasonal growth patterns on composition and persistence of mixed grass‐legume pastures over 5 years in a semi‐arid Australian cropping environment

Perennial grass‐based pastures are uncommon in phased cropping rotations in south‐eastern Australia, where rainfall often limits production and persistence. The high reliance on pure legume‐based pastures limits overall pasture productivity and has adverse effects on environmental parameters such as weed incursion and ground cover. A field experiment was monitored over 5 years to examine the relative productivity of the temperate perennial grasses, phalaris (Phalaris aquatica) and cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata) and determine whether contrasting seasonal activity enhances their persistence when grown in mixtures with lucerne (Medicago sativa) and annual legumes. Phalaris swards were shown to increase cumulative aboveground biomass by up to 96% and 32%, and in year 5 reduce annual grass emergence by between sevenfold and threefold compared to annual legume and lucerne/annual legume mixed swards, respectively. Only swards that included phalaris maintained ground cover above 70% in each autumn of the experimental period. Swards based on the highly summer dormant cocksfoot cultivar, Kasbah, were generally less productive over all, despite the cocksfoot showing a high level of persistence and good recovery following drought. Grass‐based swards that included lucerne were observed to produce ~35% greater legume biomass than a sward sown only to annual legumes. Cumulative legume biomass was greatest in lucerne swards in the absence of perennial grasses. The experiment was unable to demonstrate a consistent benefit in production and persistence associated with contrasting seasonal growth patterns. However, mixtures containing a range of functional types were consistently shown to enhance productivity over the duration of the experiment compared to less diverse swards. The potential to substantially increase forage productivity and ground cover, while reducing incursion by annual grass weeds, by including well‐adapted perennial grasses in mixtures with lucerne and annual legumes should be utilized.     

Varietal differences in perennial ryegrass for nitrogen use efficiency in leaf growth following defoliation: performance in flowing solution culture and its relationship to yield under simulated grazing in the field

Varietal differences in rates of NO₃ uptake and remobilization of nitrogen (N) during a cycle of severe defoliation and regrowth were assessed in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) varieties Ba11778, Aberelan, Talbot and Gator. Plants were grown in flowing solution culture for 34 days, prior to a 30 d treatment period, including 21 d of regrowth. Net uptake of NO₃ was measured continuously from solutions maintained automatically at 10 mmol m^-3NO₃.¹⁵ N-labelled NO_{3 3} was supplied to the plants in situ for either 21 h immediately prior to defoliation, or for 7-11 days afterwards, to measure remobilization of N from roots and stubble into the regrowing leaves. The four varieties differed only slightly in total dry matter production over 30 d, but varied substantially in post-defoliation specific growth rate by the leaf fraction. Gator was the lowest ( 0.11 g g^-1 d^-1), Ba11778 the highest ( 0.15 g g^-1 d^-1) and Aberelan and Talbot intermediate in leaf regrowth rate. Varieties did not vary significantly in shoot: root dry weight ratio, but the rate of NO₃ uptake per unit of leaf fresh weight during regrowth was 27% lower in Ba11778 than in Gator. Leaves of Ba11778 and Aberelan had a lower organic N concentration in the dry matter at the end of the regrowth period than Talbot, which, in turn, had a lower concentration than Gator. Varieties differed in amount of leaf dry matter produced per unit of N absorbed by the plants after defoliation, the values (g g^-1 N) being Ba11778 (22.6 ), Aberelan (20.7), Talbot (18.3) and Gator (16.7). More N was remobilized from the roots than from the stubble after defoliation. There were no significant differences among varieties in the amount and rate of N remobilization following defoliation. In earlier field experiments employing frequent cutting to simulate grazing, Ba11778 and Aberelan yielded at least 10% more dry matter annually than Talbot which, in turn, outyielded the amenity variety Gator by a similar amount. Thus the present results are consistent with the hypothesis that the efficiency of N use in leaf growth is an important factor determining genetic variation in productivity under frequent defoliation in the field when the herbage produced consists primarily of leaf. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Competition Between Meadow Fescue (Festuca pratensis Huds.) and Timothy (Phleum pratense L.) at Three Levels of Nitrogen Fertilization, During Three Growing Seasons

Competition between timothy ( Phleum pratense L.) and meadow fescue ( Festucapratensis Huds.) under three levels of nitrogen was studied during three growing seasons under northern climatic conditions, 69° N latitude. Timothy initially had higher competitive abilities, particularly when nitrogen was added, but due to a higher regrowth capacity, meadow fescue was able to compete with timothy increasingly over time. The species differed in their growth patterns. Timothy had a higher proportion of reproductive tillers and a larger leaf area in the upper parts of the canopy at the first harvest, especially at high nitrogen-fertilization. Consequently, timothy shaded meadow fescue during the reproductive stage of growth. After defoliation, regrowth of timothy halted for one to two weeks. Meadow fescue, by contrast, had higher tiller numbers than timothy, a higher number of intact growing points, and resumed shoot-growth rapidly after defoliation. Due to these traits, the competitive abilities of meadow fescue increased each year relative to timothy.     

Management of Italian and Perennial Ryegrasses for Seed and Forage Production in Crop Rotations

Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) and perennial ryegrass (L. perenne L.) can be grown for seed and forage in cold winter regions provided the stand persists well over winter. Seed yield and plant characteristics during primary growth, and forage yield during regrowth, were determined for two Italian and one perennial ryegrass cultivars in Atlantic Canada. Establishment methods and dates included sowing ryegrass in cultivated soil alone or with barley in mid‐May and, after harvesting the barley crop, by sowing ryegrass following conventional or reduced cultivation and by no‐till drilling into barley stubble in mid‐August and early September. Despite some winterkill, particularly in Italian ryegrass, seed and forage yields were adequate in post‐establishment growing seasons. Seed yield for Italian ryegrass was greatest (1270 kg ha^?1) when it was sown into cultivated soil in mid‐August and least (890 kg ha^?1) when sown alone in May. Italian ryegrass yielded 15–17 % more seed when plots were established in mid‐August rather than in mid‐May or early September. Italian ryegrass cv. Lemtal had a greater density of fertile tillers (1030 m^?2) in the sward than cv. Ajax (860 m^?2) and its tiller density was greater when seeded into cultivated soil in September than in mid‐August. There were fewer spikelets per seed head for sowing Italian ryegrass with barley in May than for the other methods of establishment. Forage yield in regrowth was greater for Italian ryegrass cv. Ajax (2770 kg ha^?1) than for cv. Lemtal (2480 kg ha^?1). Seed yield of perennial ryegrass was greater when seeded in mid‐May than in mid‐August or early September. The seed yield of perennial ryegrass was greater when it was sown with barley in May and harvested for grain, than when it was sown alone or with barley harvested at late milk stage. The establishment methods for mid‐August and early September sowing had little effect on seed yield. However, the no‐till and reduced tillage methods resulted in a greater tiller density than sowing into the cultivated seedbed. Fertile tillers tended to be denser under reduced cultivation for sowing in August. Forage yield of perennial ryegrass regrowth was not influenced by the sowing method and timing. In conclusion, Italian and perennial ryegrasses produce adequate seed and forage regrowth under different establishment methods and timing. However, the poor persistence of Italian ryegrass may limit commercial production after the establishment year in Atlantic Canada.     

Plant regeneration from cultured immature inflorescences of orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.)

Summary Shoot development through morphological transformation in spikelets occurred after segments of young unemerged orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) inflorescences were cultured on Linsmaier and Skoog's RM medium supplemented with 0, 4.52×10^-4, 4.52×10^-3 and 2.26×10^-2 mM 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) or naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). Effects on shoot formation were better with 2,4-D than NAA in all concentrations tested. The callus initiated from the primary culture on high 2,4-D medium was reproducible, but no evidence of shoot proliferation was noted. The shoots developed into healthy plantlets after being reared on RM medium not supplemented with hormones.Contribution from South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station Journal Article No. 1741.     

Crop Management Effects on Pre-and Post-Anthesis Changes in Leaf Area Index and Leaf Area Duration and their Contribution to Grain Yield and Yield Components in Spring Cereals

Seasonal changes in leaf area index (LAI) and leaf area duration (LAD, i.e. LAI integrated over cumulated degree days) have a marked effect on crop productivity. Three case experiments were conducted at Suitia (60°11′N) and Viikki (60°13′N) Experimental Farms, University of Helsinki, Finland, to evaluate the possibilities of accelerating pre-an thesis expansion of leaf area and modifying pre- and post-anthesis LAD in spring cereals through crop management. Effects of time of incorporation of a green manure crop residue into the soil [conventional tillage (autumn ploughing and seed bed preparation in the spring), conservation tillage (sole spring tillage) with and without a green manure crop, common vetch (Vicia saliva I.)]and N fertilizer rate (0, 50, 100kg N ha^?1) on LAI and pre- and post-anthesis LAD in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) were studied in exp I; green manuring (common vetch) and N fertilizer rate (0,40, 70,110,150kg N ha^?1) in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), oat (Avena sativa L.), and wheat in exp II; and foliar application of chlormequat chloride (CCC) and ethephon in oat lines (dwarf, naked, modern, landrace) differing in canopy structure in exp III. Time of incorporation of the green manure crop residues into the soil (exp I), green manuring (exp II), N fertilizer rate (exps I and II), and selection for crop growth type (exp III), but not CCC and ethephon, modified LAI and LAD in spring cereals by affecting the rate of pre-anthesis expansion and post-anthesis reduction in leaf area rather than by markedly prolonging the growth period. High rates of N fertilizer accelerated expansion of leaf area, especially prior to stem elongation, and resulted in high pre-anthesis LAD due to enhanced tiller growth (exps I and II) and more tillers per main shoot (exp I). Green manuring increased leaf expansion from the tillering stage most when combined with high N rate, and especially in barley (exp II), but no such effects were found in exp I. Use of a high N fertilizer rate (exps I and II) and green manuring (exp II) also resulted in high post-anthesis LAD. Such modifications enabled higher rates of grain- and head-filling, and in exp I contributed to increased head weight and grain yield. Selection for inherent differences in growth type provided an additional possibility for manipulation of canopy structure and yield formation.     

Etiolated growth in relation to energy reserves and winter survival in three temperate grasses

The role of energy reserves in development of winter hardiness was examined in timothy (Phleum pratense L.), orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) through periodically measuring etiolated growth (EG; shoot growth of crown under dark, warm and humid conditions following defoliation) and determining sugar profiles at critical stages of hardening and wintering. Seasonal changes in weight and duration of EG were monitored by sampling once or twice a month from September to the following April. In all species, total etiolated growth (TEG; total shoot production at each sampling time as determined by weekly or biweekly harvests until exhaustion of reserves) increased from September to reach peak levels during the second hardening stage in mid-November. Thereafter, TEG remained high until the following spring in orchardgrass while it declined linearly in timothy, which had the lowest TEG. The decline in TEG was intermediate in perennial ryegrass. Changes in the duration of EG were most marked in orchardgrass, as it required six weeks to produce about 150 mg g^-1 TEG in early November but only one week in March. The results indicated occurrence of dormancy in apical meristems of orchardgrass at the end of the first hardening stage with temperatures above 0 ^°C, which roughly corresponded with the phase of dormancy in woody plants. Dormancy was weak in timothy and largely undetectable in perennial ryegrass, as measured by the EG technique. A positively significant correlation between total nonstructural carbohydrates (TNC) content and TEG was found in all species. Detailed analysis, however, showed that direct estimation of TNC content using TEG was difficult because TEG production per unit TNC was negatively correlated with TNC level, and the amount of TNC unused in early autumn was more than in the rest of the season. Changes in sugar profiles occurred at transition from the first to the second hardening stage with subzero temperatures and varied with wintering strategy of each species. Simple sugar content dramatically declined while fructan content increased in both timothy (cv. ‘Senpoku’) and orchardgrass (cv. ‘Wasemidori’), which were selected at sites covered with snow for more than 120 days. In contrast, a cold tolerant perennial ryegrass cv. `‘éveille’ selected in the Netherlands retained high amounts of simple sugars. The results suggest that EG technique is suitable to monitor physiological status (amount and rate of mobilization of energy reserves, intensity of dormancy and bud development) of plants expressing winter hardiness. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Successful hybridization between Lolium and Dactylis

In order to test crossability of Lolium and Dactylis, a total of 4126 florets of six different varieties and ploidy levels of Lolium multiflorum Lam. and L. perenne L. were pollinated using a blend of pollen from two cultivars and three ecotypes of Dactylis glomerata L. Additionally, reciprocal pollinations were carried out on 363 florets of two D. glomerata cultivars with pollen of L. multiflorum. Both pre- and post-zygotic cross barriers were strong. Auxin application was effective in overcoming post-zygotic barriers. One viable hybrid plant arose from 16 embryos. The hybrid between L. multiflorum and D. glomerata showed characteristics of both parents. The symmetric character of the hybrid was confirmed by genomic in situ hybridization. Backcross pollinations with pollen of both parents yielded two plants from five embryos with L. multiflorum only. Both the production of allopolyploid hybrids having characters of both species and the transfer of useful characters of D. glomerata into L. multiflorum should be possible.     

Effects of Row Spacing, Support Plant Species and Support Plant Mixture Ratio on Seed Yield and Yield Characteristics of Hungarian Vetch (Vicia pannonica Crantz)

The effects of row spacing (17.5 or 35.0 cm), support plant species (barley or triticale) and the proportion of crops in mixtures (no support plant or support plant 20, 40 or 60 %, respectively) on the seed yield and yield characteristics of Hungarian vetch (Vicia pannonica Crantz) were investigated. Increasing the row spacing increased the seed yield of V. pannonica from 881.0 to 1248.0 kg ha^?1. On average, in a pure stand the seed yield of V. pannonica was 1141.0 kg ha^?1. In mixtures with barley and triticale, the seed yield of V. pannonica averaged 986.0 and 1143.0 kg ha^?1, respectively. In single mixed stands the seed yield of V. pannonica varied between 551.0 kg ha^?1 (60 % support plant barley) and 1603.0 kg ha^?1 (20 % support plant triticale). The yield advantage of V. pannonica in this triticale mixture was 40 % compared to the V. pannonica pure stand. With respect to the total yield in the mixture with 20 % triticale (1902.0 kg ha^?1) the yield advantage over the V. pannonica pure stand was as high as 65.1 %. In the mixed stands the number of seeds per pod and the thousand‐seed weight of V. pannonica were higher than in V. pannonica pure stands.     

Leaf Area Duration of Oat at High Latitudes

Contribution of leaf area duration (LAD) to grain yield during the short growing season characteristic of northern latitudes may differ from the marked impact it has at lower latitudes. Three experiments (exps) were carried out at Viikki Experimental Farm, University of Helsinki, Finland (60° 13′N) to compare associations between main shoot and tiller LAD with grain yield, yield components and morpho-physiological traits characterizing plant stand structure. This was done using correlation analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) for data from trials conducted during 1993–1995. Exp I included three N fertilizer rates (80, 120, 160 kg N ha^?1), three seeding rates (250, 500, and 750 seeds m^?2), and tall, moderate, semi-dwarf, and dwarf oat lines. Exp II incorporated two N fertilizer rates (80 and 120 kg ha^?1), three seeding rates (400, 600, and 800 seeds m^?2), and naked and hulled oat lines, and exp III, foliar applications of plant growth regulators [control, chlormequat chloride (CCC), and ethephon], and dwarf, naked, and conventional oat lines. LAD for main shoots and tillers [calculated as ∫ LAI d T, where T is cumulated degree days from seedling emergence to yellow ripening (dd °C)] and 12 morpho-physiological traits were measured. Oat was not able to benefit from high main shoot LAD if drought occurred at grain-fill, but in the absence of severe drought or if it occurred at pre-anthesis, high LAD favoured yield formation. Tiller LAD had a negative impact, if any, on grain yield in cases of an inverse relationship between tiller LAD and yield components on main shoots was recorded. Use of low seeding rates resulted in improved ability of total LAD to contribute to dry-matter production, but was not associated with grain yield. Low seeding rates enhanced formation of high tiller LAD, which was not able to compensate for grain yield reduction caused by fewer main shoots. Foliar application of CCC and ethephon tended to increase the proportion of LAD production by tillers at the expense of grain yield, which can be attributed to lower post-anthesis precipitation. Oat types differed in main shoot and tiller LAD. Disadvantageous characteristics of naked oat, such as low single groat weight, were not associated with insufficient main shoot LAD. High tiller LAD in naked lines and the Minnesota-adapted dwarf line that was not associated with high tiller grain yield in naked lines, in particular, indicates that tiller growth was enhanced at the expense of grain yield production. Application of N fertilizer at various rates did not have any effect on LAD.     

The dynamics of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) yield components in response to defoliation frequency

The productive life of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) stands depends on the rate of mortality of individual plants. However, self-thinning of plant populations may be compensated for by increases in other yield components, namely shoots/plant and individual shoot mass. Frequent defoliation reduces lucerne yield but it is unclear whether this is caused by an acceleration of plant mortality or changes in these other yield components. To investigate this, crops with contrasting shoot yields were created using constant 28 or 42-day regrowth cycles applied to a ‘Kaituna’ lucerne crop in Canterbury, New Zealand during the 2002/2003 and 2003/2004 growth seasons. Two further treatments switched from 28 to 42 or 42 to 28 days grazing frequency in mid-summer (4th February) of each year. The annual yield of shoot dry matter (DM) ranged from 12 to 23 t/ha for the treatments defoliated consistently each 28 or 42 days, respectively. Plant population was unaffected by treatments and declined exponentially from 130 plants/m² in June 2002 to 60 plants/m² in September 2004. The dynamics of plant and shoot population were associated with the light environment at the base of the canopy. The slope of the size/density compensation (SDC) of plants was −1.67 for the treatment defoliated each 42 days, near the expected self-thinning slope of −1.5 for stands at constant leaf area index (LAI). Self-thinning of shoots resumed after each defoliation when the LAI reached 2.1 and the transmission of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR_t) was 0.20. At this point the proportion of aerial DM in the tallest (dominant) shoots increased non-linearly from 30 to >80%, due to the mortality of intermediary and suppressed shoots. The average maximum shoot population in each rotation was 780 shoots/m² and unaffected by the decline in plant population due to a compensatory increase from 6 to 13 shoots/plant as the stand thinned. A lower asymptote of 43 plants/m² was estimated as the minimum plant population at which yield component compensation would maintain the productive potential of these ‘Kaituna’ stands. Differences in shoot yield were explained (R² = 0.97) by changes in the individual shoot mass (ISM) that were consistently lowered by frequent defoliation treatments. Frequent defoliations reduced crop productivity by limiting the assimilation of biomass into each individual shoot with negligible impact on shoot appearance rate, the number of shoots per plant at an LAI of 2.1 or the rate of plant population decay. Inter-specific competition for light was proposed as the main factor controlling self-thinning of plants and shoots regardless of their individual C:N status.     

Heritability of NaCl tolerance at the seedling stage in seven grass species

Summary Narrow sense heritabilities of tolerance to NaCl were estimated in seven grass species using seedling root length after three weeks growth in solution culture containing NaCl. Heritability estimates were obtained from i) female parent-progeny regression, and from ii) selection response and selection differential (realized heritability).Estimates from parent-progeny regression; and realized heritability respectively for each species were as follows Lolium perence L. 0.44, 0.39; Dactylis glomerata L. 0.32, 0.24; Agrostis stolonifera L. 0.28, 0.27; A. castellana L. 0.26; 0.31; Holcus lanatus L. 0.19, 0.23; Festuca rubra L. 0.44, 0.36; Pucinnellia distans (L.) Parl. 0.72, 0.77. These data suggest that in all species except perhaps H. lanatus, improvement in seedling NaCl tolerance could be obtained through further selection and breeding.     

水稻甬优12产量13.5t hm~(–2)以上超高产群体的生育特征

以籼粳交超级稻甬优12为试材、四叶一心期带蘖小苗移栽,超稀植(12.45×104穴hm–2)栽培,对高产(10.5~12.0 t hm–2)、更高产(12.0~13.5 t hm–2)、超高产(13.5 t hm–2)3个产量群体的产量及其结构、茎蘖动态、叶面积动态及干物质的积累与运转等进行了系统比较研究。结果表明,产量由高产(10.5~12.0 t hm–2)到更高产(12.0~13.5 t hm–2)再到超高产(13.5 t hm–2),群体的颖花量不断提高,结实率和千粒重略微下降。与高产和更高产群体相比,超高产群体茎蘖数起点较高,在有效分蘖临界叶龄期及时够苗,至拔节期群体茎蘖数稳步增长,达高峰苗,此后群体茎蘖数平缓下降,成穗率近60%;群体叶面积指数生育前期较小,最大值出现在孕穗期,为9.17,此后平缓下降,成熟期在4.0以上;群体干物质积累量在拔节期略低,此后各生育时期均升高,抽穗期为14.38 t hm–2,抽穗至成熟期为9.73 t hm–2,成熟期为24.11 t hm–2;群体根系干重、根冠比及单茎伤流强度在后期(抽穗至成熟期)均较高。     

Functional contribution of two perennial grasses to enhance pasture production and drought resistance under a leaf regrowth stage defoliation criterion

Lolium perenne L. (Lp) is the main pasture species in New Zealand, but climate change increases the likelihood of drought during summer and consequently lowers its growth rates. Bromus valdivianus Phil. (Bv) tolerates better the summer soil water restriction, but its competitiveness in a diverse pasture relates to the defoliation management and soil moisture levels. The performance of both species in terms of production, persistence and feed quality across seasons under different defoliation regimens was evaluated when the species were mixed and in monoculture. The treatments were applied in a randomised complete block design with three blocks. Bromus valdivianus and Lp monocultures and the 50/50 mixture (Mx) were grazed at low and high defoliation frequencies (i.e. based on Bv and Lp optimal leaf regrowth stage [LS], respectively). Herbage mass production was 15% higher in the Mx, mainly due to an increase in production in spring and summer. In spring, there was complementarity growth between the species, while during summer/early autumn, the Mx production relayed in the higher participation of Bv. Root biomass at depth (31–70 cm) was 38% greater for Bv monoculture and the Mx compared with Lp monoculture, which demonstrated the contribution of Bv to a better production of the mixture during and following the dry periods. In addition, the maintenance of the Bv tiller population and the higher growth rate during dry periods demonstrated its better fitness to low soil water availabilities than Lp. Although herbage mass was not modified by the defoliation frequency, forage quality of Bv showed values at low defoliation frequency that could compromise animal production during spring. However, there was an increase in root biomass under low defoliation frequencies, which suggested that a flexible grazing management across seasons would increase the niche utilisation between species in the mixture. The defoliation frequency of the mixture could be based on Lp LS during spring and winter, and slowed down, following Bv criteria, during summer and autumn.     

Yield Structure of Winter Faba Beans Grown in Northern Germany in Dependence of Different Environments, Seed Rates, Sowing Rates and Genotypes

Two series of field trials were performed at three sites in Schleswig-Holstein between 1981 and 1988 to inquire into the yield structure of European winter types of Vicia faba L. and to compare their yield potential with that of spring types. Due to low winter survival, 6 winter types could be evaluated only in 4 environments in dependence of 1–3 sowing times (series α: seed rate 30/m²) and 1 winter type in 5 environments in dependence of 3 sowing times and 3 seed rates (series β: seed rate 15, 30, 45/m²). Seed yield of winter type averaged 410 g/m² (D.M.) surpassing spring types by about 14 %. Environments caused a considerable variation in yield (275–620 g/m²) and in each yield component of winter types, while sowing dates and seed rates hardly affected the components seeds/pod and seed weight, which displayed stable genotypic rank orders. Compensative forces among the components plants/m², tillers/plant and pods/tiller, were established. Plant densities of less than 10/m² in spring, generally led to seed yield below 350 g/m². Variation between 15–30 plants/m² due to environments, sowing times or seed rates were frequently not fully compensated by tillering of plants, but often variation of the thus formed yield potential was reduced by pod set of tillers resulting in 210–270 pods/m². The direction of correlations of pods/tillers with tillers/plant and plants/m² differed due to experimental conditions whereas negative correlations between pods/tiller and tillers/ m² were generally evident. Tillering was significantly influenced by the sowing time, though the increase because of early sowing was often covered by compensative effects of different plant densities. A genotypic capability to produce reproductive tillers was demonstrated using an approach which considered different plant densities and compensative forces. Neither a genotypic capability of tillers to set pods nor direct effects of environments or sowing time on pod set were established.     

Genetic variation in cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) populations for mottle virus resistance

Summary Highly significant and continuous variation in the degree of injury due to cocksfoot mottle virus (CfMV) infection was found among clones of 7 cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) populations, taken at random among surviving plants in 9 year old swards. Broad sense heritabilities for CfMV injury ranged from 0.52 to 0.91 within populations, and genotypic correlations between CfMV injury and total DM-yield ranged from –0.46 to –0.88. The relationship between CfMV injury and DM-yield could be described by a second degree curve. CfMV injury was to some extent genotypically correlated in the positive direction with crude protein content and digestibility, and negatively with crude fiber content, especially in the first cut. Artificial infection of plants from the original populations with CfMV in a simulated sward experiment, did not reveal any significant differences between populations in tolerance towards CfMV infection. Infection caused a 54.5% increase in the number of dead plants per plot, relative to uninfected plots, but only a 4.5% reduction in dry matter yield. There is a clear tendency that synthetic populations selected for high yield are less tolerant towards CfMV infection than unselected or low yielding populations. The resistance found in these cocksfoot populations is a sort of tolerance, and the results indicate that the level of tolerance can be increased by selection.     

Performance of Timothy-based Grass/Legume Mixtures in Cold Winter Region

This study sought to identify grass/legume mixtures that increase the yield and persistence of forage stands with improved nutritive quality in cold‐winter regions, compared with the standard mixture of timothy (Phleum pratense L.)/red clover (Trifolium pratense L.)/alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum L.). Timothy was mixed with either perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis L.) or Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.). The legumes in mixtures were red clover, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) or white clover (Trifolium repens L.). Averaged over three production years, the majority of mixtures had greater dry matter (DM) yields than the standard (8.35 t ha^?1). Timothy, grown alone and in three mixtures, outyielded the standard by 19–30 %. Yield reductions in mixtures over the 3‐year period were greatest with red clover, and least with bluegrass. Mixtures with alfalfa were highest in nitrogen (28.4 g kg^?1), while grasses grown alone (24.6 g kg^?1) and the standard mixture (25.1 g kg^?1) were the lowest in N. Mixtures with red clover or alfalfa had the least neutral detergent fibre (NDF), averaging 418 and 429 g kg^?1 respectively. Mixtures including white clover were initially low in NDF at 347 g kg^?1 in year 1 but increased to 550 g kg^?1 in year 3 as white clover composition declined in the sward.