The effect of defoliation upon yield, flowering and vegetative spread of Holcus lanatus growing with and without Lolium perenne

Plants of Holcus lanatus L. and Lolium perenne L. were grown in monocultures and in 50:50 mixtures and cut at three heights and at three frequencies during 24 weeks. The higher the H. lanatus plants were cut the greater was their harvested yield but height of cutting did not affect the yield of L. perenne. Reduction in the frequency of cutting increased the total harvested yield of both species in monoculture. In mixture, H. lanatus dominated L. perenne , especially with high and infrequent cutting. Stubble yields generally followed harvested yields.
In a second experiment, H. lanatus plants were cut sequentially in spring; plants cut in early June produced very few panicles in the regrowth.
In a third experiment the growth of decumbent tillers in late summer on spaced plants of H. lanatus produced a stoloniferous growth habit. The production of lateral shoots and roots on these stolons was measured in spring on plants undergoing various types of defoliation. Regular cutting of the parent plant increased the production of lateral shoots on stolons but did not affect the production of lateral roots.
The significance of these results is discussed in relation to the manipulation of swards containing these two species.     

THE EFFECT OF CUTTING COCKSFOOT (DACTYLIS GLOMERATA L.) GROWN FOR PRODUCTION OF SEED

An experiment is described in which cocksfoot, grown for production of seed, was cut annually for 3 years in either autumn, winter or spring. No significant increases in yield of seed/ac were obtained from any treatment compared with an uncut control, and a cut in late April in one year seriously reduced the yield of seed. Additional N applied after a defoliation in October did not increase the yield of seed compared with that from plots which were cut at the same time but not fertilized. The production of tillers was not affected by cutting on any date. The percentage fertility of tillers was increased by cutting in the first year, when the number of tillers was smallest; the fertility was less consistently affected in the second year, and was generally unaffected in the third year. The weight of seed produced per ear was usually reduced by the cutting treatments. In the third year of the experiment it was shown that the penetration of light to the base of the shoots was increased substantially by defoliation, but it is deduced that maximum interception of light by the whole plant is more important for the production of seed than increasing by cutting that proportion which penetrates to the base of the plant.     

The effect of pattern and severity of cutting on the vigour of the soft rush (Juncus effusus L.)

An experiment was conducted to examine the effect of the timing and severity of defoliation on the vigour of the soft rush ( Juncus effusus ). Three levels of defoliation (uncut, cut at half the current green stem height, and cut at ground level) were applied at each of two cutting dates (the end of June and the end of August) in a factorial design that gave nine cutting treatments. Treatments were imposed for two consecutive years and their effects on tussock size (rush herbage mass) and vigour, as determined by green stem height, peripheral green stem density, and the proportion of flowering green stems, were assessed in Year 3. Defoliation to half the current green stem height either once or twice annually had no effect on tussock mass or vigour. Defoliation to ground level reduced tussock mass and vigour but a large number of green, living stems remained on all treatments, indicating considerable potential for regeneration once the cutting treatments had ceased. There was no significant effect of number or timing of the cuts, but the results suggest that cutting rushes to ground level twice during the growing season is more effective at reducing rush vigour. Where only a single cut is possible, cutting in August after flowering is the best option.     

Grassland responses to grazing disturbance: plant diversity changes with grazing intensity in a desert steppe

This study quantifies the impact of four different grazing regimes (heavy, moderate, light and ungrazed) on the vegetation dynamics of rangeland ecosystems along the southern boundary area of the Mu Us Desert, China. As the grazing intensities decreased, the soil quality, canopy cover, height, density, above‐ and below‐ground biomass, litter, root/shoot ratio and native plant (Aneurolepidium dasystachys) and grass abundances significantly increased; the above‐ground biomass of grasses increased, but the above‐ground biomass of forbs decreased. Ungrazed grassland has significantly improved from grasslands experiencing three other levels of grazing pressure, especially in the grassland biomass. Species richness increased as the grazing intensity decreased in the grazing grasslands, but peak species richness appeared under moderate and light grazing against lower productivity. Grazing exclusion causes desirable transitions in plant communities of desert steppe rangelands. Therefore, appropriate and efficient grazing exclusion is an available way to counteract local grassland degradation and promote rangeland sustainability.     

REGROWTH OF S24 RYEGRASS AND ITS RELATION TO YIELD MEASUREMENT OF GRAZED SWARDS

The re growth of S24 ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) plants was studied during 4 days, following defoliation to stuhble heights of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 cm. The weight of regrowth produced by plants cut to 6-cm stubhie heights and higher was equal to the weight increment of uncut plants above the same heights. During the 4 days the weight of the stubble segment between 0 and 2 cm decreased in plants cut to 2 or 4 cm, but was maintained or increased in plants cut to 6 cm or higher. Weights of the 2- to 4- to 6-cm stubble segments were just maintained at the lower cutting heights, but were increased by the same amount as in uncut plants at the highest cutting height. The percentage of water-soluble carbohydrates in all stubble segments decreased following defoliation, but the percentage of N did not change. Root weights were either maintained or increased, depending on the severity of cutting. In relation to grazing experiments, it is pointed out that where DM disappearance is taken as the difference hetween yield on a protected site and residue on a grazed site, too close cutting of the sample areas will give an overestimate of yield.     

STUDIES ON THE ROOT DEVELOPMENT OF HERBAGE PLANTS

The influence of defoliation on the root, stubble and herbage weights of perennial ryegrass during establishment was studied on spaced plants in the greenhouse and field.
In the greenhouse trial the rate of root elongation was reduced by a single defoliation. In both the field and greenhouse, cutting reduced the number of roots and tillers per plant but increased the number of roots per tiller. A few weeks after defoliating plants in the field there was a lower root weight on the cut plants than on the uncut. Eventually the influence of a single cut disappeared, but if the cutting was in the laie summer or autumn the plants commenced the winter with a smaller amount of root and stubble, and this appeared to have a deleterious effect on the earliest spring growth.
Herbage growth in March and April was positively correlated with both root and stubble weights in the previous November.
As the number of cuts during the establishment period (March-November) was increased from 0–4 the root and stubble weight per plant progressively decreased.
The root and stubble weights decreased during the winter.     

夏大豆群体光合特性的研究

本文研究了夏大豆的群体光合特性。结果表明，夏大豆群体内光强自上而下逐渐减弱，群体光合随光减弱而明显下降。开花结荚期一天中，１３时群体光合速率达最大值。在一定范围内，密度大的光合速率在上午上升得快，峰值持续的时间长，对早，晚的弱光利用率较高。音以前和１９时以后，各群体的光合速率均为负值。分枝期的群体光合速率主要决定于种植密度。开花结荚期的群体光合速率与种植密度呈抛物线关系，与百粒重，生物产量和籽粒产     

白玉仙茶扦插育苗技术研究

通过对时间、扦插基质、植物生长调节剂和插穗部位4个因素对白玉仙茶两个品系进行扦插繁殖研究。结果表明白玉仙茶Ⅱ扦插成活率比白玉仙茶Ⅰ高15％,且生长势明显;夏季嫩枝扦插,分别比白玉仙茶Ⅰ冬季和春季扦插成活率提高13％和23％,但对白玉仙茶Ⅱ作用不明显;扦插基质为1／2普通苗床土＋1／2黄沙的成活率比全部用黄心土的约高5％;合适浓度的植物生长调节剂IBA对扦插成活促进明显,但高浓度反而有抑制作用;插穗部位几乎不影响扦插成活率。     

Severity of damage to Trifolium repens leaves by certain invertebrate species in mixed perennial ryegrass/white clover swards: response to cultivar, cutting frequency and sward characteristics

The severity of damage by certain invertebrate species to white clover (Trifolium repens) leaves on the main stolons of plants grown in mixed perennial ryegrass/white clover swards was examined in a field experiment in the Netherlands in which two cutting frequencies (high and low) and three white clover cultivars (Retor, Alice and Gwenda) were used. The damage to the leaves was described in terms of the numbers of damaged leaves and the extent of that damage (slight <20%, moderate 20–50% and heavy >50%). The relationships between leaf damage and sward characteristics (white clover content, above-ground biomass and sward height) were evaluated throughout the growing season. Over the whole experimental period, 23·7% and 27·4% of the total number of leaves produced per stolon were damaged by slugs and weevils in the low- and high-frequency cutting treatments respectively. High-frequency cutting increased the number of leaves in the total leaf damage and moderate leaf damage categories by 21·4% and 34·8%, respectively, compared with the low-frequency cutting. The cv. Retor (medium-leaved) experienced the most severe damage by invertebrates. It had much higher leaf damage than cvs Alice (large-leaved) and Gwenda (small-leaved) at either cutting frequency, both in the total number of damaged leaves and in the different damage categories. Differences among cultivars in the number of damaged leaves and relative leaf damage occurred primarily in spring, late summer and autumn, but did not differ during the early- and mid-summer months. This study indicates that variations in leaf damage among clover cultivars were associated with differences in measured sward characteristics. Both the number of damaged leaves and the relative leaf damage were strongly negatively correlated with white clover content and biomass in spring, late summer and autumn under each cutting treatment. White clover content and biomass explained 65%, 59% and 50% of the variation in the number of damaged leaves in spring, late summer and autumn, respectively, and 58%, 57% and 45% of the variation in relative leaf damage in these three periods. Thus, sward characteristics may play a role in regulating the severity of invertebrate damage to clover leaves in addition to the primary effects of HCN.     

Effect of forage removal at the first detectable node stage on the growth of winter and spring triticale

The effect of forage removal on the growth of five winter and five spring triticale genotypes was studied in 1992 and 1993 in field experiments in north-eastern Spain. When cut, winter triticales produced more biomass and leaf area than spring types owing to their higher tillering capacity. The leaf area index (LAI) at anthesis was similar in both groups in both clipped and uncut plots, but spring triticales had a greater leaf area on the main stem than winter types. Winter types had a greater leaf area on the tillers than spring types. Spring and winter types had a similar physiological response to forage removal, except for modifications in flag leaf area. In spring types triticale flag leaf area was reduced by clipping, whereas in winter types flag leaf area was increased. Forage removal resulted in less dry-matter accumulation in all plant parts, maximum weight of the plant being reduced by about 20% and the rate of growth by around 13%. LAI at anthesis decreased by 37% as a result of clipping, and the leaf area duration from anthesis to maturity decreased by 36%. The duration of growth increased after clipping. Heading, anthesis and maturity dates were delayed by clipping, but grain filling duration was not affected.     

White clover growth patterns during the grazing season in a rotationally grazed dairy pasture in New York

White clover (Trifolium repens L.) is an important stoloniferous pasture legume in the Great Lakes region of the United States, but it often has limited persistence. Researchers in New Zealand and Wales have found that in spring, compared with other seasons, white clover plants have reduced branching complexity and have the fewest buds that produce leaves. They therefore suggested that in spring the plants are most vulnerable to grazing and climatic stress. Because of severe winter and cool, wet spring weather in New York State, it was hypothesized that white clover plants would also be of low branching complexity, smaller and have low axillary bud activity in spring compared with later in the grazing season. To test this, growth of white clover was monitored in an orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata L.)/white clover pasture in New York that was rotationally grazed with dairy cows during the 1993 and 1994 grazing seasons. Three sets of plants were sampled. The first set consisted of forty random plants sampled before each grazing event. Stolon branching order, number of each stolon branching type and area the plant occupied were determined. Approximately each month before one grazing event, a separate set of 32 random plants was measured in the field to determine the area they occupied; these plants were then removed to the laboratory for the measurement of stolon order, number of each stolon type, stolon lengths, total number of growing points, number of taproots and adventitious roots, root position and above-ground dry matter. Once a month, 12 additional plants were removed to measure axillary bud activity at each node. Leaf development from nodes tended to increase from spring to summer. However, the stolon branching order of white clover plants was not simpler in spring compared with summer or autumn. In 1994 during and after a dry and hot period, white clover plants were smaller, of lower stolon branching order and had fewer roots. Climate and associated soil organism activity appear to explain the different white clover growth patterns observed in New York and New Zealand. Severe winters in New York limit earthworm activity and stolon burial, which is important in contributing to stolon/plant breakdown in New Zealand. During the years of this study in New York, a hot and dry period had the most negative effect on the growth pattern of white clover.     

Water use and water-use efficiency of perennial ryegrass swards as affected by the height and frequency of cutting and seed rate

The effects of cutting height (20 and 44 mm), frequency (once every 2 weeks April-September inclusive and twice a year) and seed rate (250 and 20 kg ha^-1) on the water use and herbage yield of perennial ryegrass swards, for 3 years after sowing, were compared.
Frequent cutting and a low cutting height reduced water use in the first year only. In later years infrequent cutting led to higher yields and higher water-use efficiencies, but did not affect total water use or the shape of the soil water profile. Seed rate influenced sward composition and the pattern of water use, but not total water use. The swards from the low seed rate had a lower stubble biomass and tiller density, and extracted relatively more water at depths of 75 and 85 cm and less at depths of 15 and 35 cm, than the swards derived from the high seed rate.
The ratio of actual: potential evapotranspiration was reduced as the soil water deficit increased and was lowest in the summer after a dry spring. Cutting height and frequency during summer were shown not to be effective methods of either conserving water or manipulating the effective rooting depth of an established sward.     

Impact of shading and cutting on the demography and composition of Mimosa pudica L., a ligneous weed species of tropical grasslands

The aim of the study was to evaluate the potential impact of grazing on the control of Mimosa pudica, a ligneous weed species that invades grasslands in French Guiana. Three experiments were conducted in a glasshouse to test the potential impact of: (i) shading by testing different Photsynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) fluxes on seedlings and (ii) cutting of juveniles, at three stages of development, on their survival, flowering rate and nutritive value as measured by the mass:length ratio of stems and by branching processes. A significant mortality rate (0·20) was obtained only for seedlings at the cotyledon stage when the PAR flux was reduced proportionately by 0·83. Shading reduced both flowering rate and mass:length ratio of stems. For seedlings at the cotyledon stage, the flowering rate decreased from 0·85 for the control to zero for the low light treatment (0·13 of PAR flux of the control treatment). The mass:length ratio of stems of seedlings in the low light treatment was reduced to 0·20 of that of control seedlings, at the fifth‐leaf stage. Cutting treatment had no effect on mortality of juvenile plants whatever the size of the juvenile plant. The proportion of juvenile plants flowering was high for all cutting treatments. It is suggested that regular, but not continuous grazing, could maintain a dense sward to limit recruitment by seedling establishment and seed production, and maintain branched and juvenile plants with a high‐nutritive value at the seedling stage.     

冀东地区夏播大豆品种农艺性状和产量形成规律的探讨

本试验研究了原产地不同的大豆品种在冀东夏播条件下，农艺性状，生育期结构，生育期比（Ｒ／Ｖ），生物学产量，器官平衡，经济系数等影响产量的重要因素的表现。结果表明：夏大豆籽粒产量与株高，主茎节数，分枝数，单株荚数，单株粒数，碍粒重均呈正相关。冀东地区夏大豆要获得１５０－２００公斤／亩籽粒产量，主要农艺性状应达到：株高６５厘米，主茎１６节，分枝１－１．２８个，在２．０－２．２２万株／亩密度条件下，单株荚     

春大豆播期光温效应的研究

将来自中国北纬22.7°～50.2°不同地点的19个春播大豆品种在2 a中分4个时期(4月21日、5月15日、6月11日、7月1日)进行播种,建立了春播大豆的生育进程、形态性状、产量相关性状的光温效应模型,通过模型参数分析了生态性状的光温效应,探讨了不同生态类型的特征.结果表明:在出苗至初花阶段,光温效应总体表现为缩短...     

The response of potato (Solanum spp.) to photoperiod and light intensity under high temperatures

Summary The growth, development and yield of seven cultivars were evaluated under field conditions with photoperiods from 11.5 to 16 hours and light intensities from full light (≧12 MJ/m²/day) to only 42% light in in 3 experiments in the Philippines. The longer photoperiod significantly delayed and reduced tuberization, promoted profuse haulm growth, resulting in: more branching, increased plant height, more flowering, many secondary stems and delayed plant senescence. ‘DTO-33’ was least affected by long photoperiod, followed by ‘Red Pontiac’ and ‘Désirée’. Shading resulted in delayed tuber initiation, taller plants, thinner stems, smaller leaves but longer canopy duration and a slightly larger canopy. ‘DTO-33’ was least affected by shading followed by ‘Désirée’, ‘LT-2’ and ’Red Pontiac’. ‘LT-5’ and ‘P-3’ suffered the greatest tuber yield reduction through shading.     

INTER-VARIETAL COMPETITION IN PERENNIAL RYEGRASS SWARDS

Pure cultures and mixtures of equal numbers of plants of Irish. New Zealand and S23 perennial ryegrass were grown in artificially constructed swards under field conditions. They were cut every time they reached grazing height for three successive years. Counts of plant numbers and tiller numbers per plant made each November show that S23 suppressed both plant number and tiller number per plant of Irish ryegrass and to a lesser extent of New Zealand perennial ryegrass. Its own plant number and tiller number per plant were improved in these combinations. New Zealand perennial ryegrass suppressed plant and tiller numbers of Irish perennial ryegrass.
Varying the method of cutting to match the growth of each variety resulted in improved plant survival and tiller number per unit area of Irish perennial ryegrass when cut according to the growth of S23, i.e. late in the spring. The importance of the effect of experimental technique is discussed.     

Grain yield and yield components as affected by forage removal in winter and spring triticale

Two field experiments were carried out under irrigation and high fertility in northeastern Spain during 1992 and 1993. Ten triticale genotypes, five of spring growth habit and five winter types, were tested for their suitability for both forage and grain. Forage removal reduced grain yield per plant by about 17%, but did not have any significant effect on plant density, ear density or tiller number per plant. Tiller mortality was greater in winter types (65%) than in spring triticales (25%), but was not affected by cutting. Decreases in grain yield following cutting could be attributed to reductions in the number of grains per spike and kernel weight. Cutting decreased the number of grains per spike by about 9% by reducing the two components, spikelets per head and grains per spikelet. The average spike length was 10·6 cm in the uncut treatment and 10·1 cm in the dual-purpose plots. Cutting reduced thousand kernel weight by about 7% in winter triticales, and around 10% in spring types, both in main spike and in first tiller. The effect of a forage harvest on yield components was in general similar for both types of triticale. Cutting when jointing commenced induced changes in the relative importance of yield components influencing future grain yield. The yield components reduced by cutting were the most important contributors to grain yield after forage removal.     

播种深度对夏玉米冠层结构及光合特性的影响

选用郑单958(ZD958)和先玉335(XY335)为试验材料,设置3、5、7、9 cm 4个播深处理和4个播种深度混播的播深不一致处理(U),研究播种深度对夏玉米冠层结构、光合特性和产量的影响。结果表明,播深不一致显著降低株高、穗位高、果穗长度等性状整齐度,影响群体冠层结构,ZD958和XY335的产量较3、5 cm播深分别下降2.6%、3.2%和0.9%、3.9%。播种过深,整个生育期内的植株性状整齐度和叶面积指数较低,穗位高及底层透光率增加;SPAD值及比叶重较低,净光合速率和单株干物质积累下降。ZD958和XY335播深9 cm的产量较3、5 cm播深分别下降5.9%、6.4%和6.1%、8.8%。播深7和9 cm,夏玉米群体密度降低,冠层透光率增加,但其叶面积指数、SPAD值和比叶重降低,净光合速率和单株干物质积累下降,最终降低夏玉米产量。     

沟谷地春玉米干物质积累、分配与转移规律的研究

1996～1998年在山西省隰县黄土高原残垣沟壑区进行了沟谷地春玉米干物质积累、分配与转移规律的研究.结果表明:春玉米植株个体干物质积累与生育进程间的关系呈S形曲线变化.春玉米干物质在各器官的分配随生长中心的转移而发生变化,小喇叭口以前干物质主要分配在叶片中,之后转为茎、叶;散粉后,各器官干物质开始向子粒转移,果穗成为光合产物的分配中心.在栽培上,应使各器官向子粒转移的干物质总量控制在20%以下。