Effect of drought on biomass allocation in two invasive and two native grass species dominating the mixed‐grass prairie

Control of exotic plant species invading the native prairie relies on our understanding of the eco‐physiological mechanisms responsible for the spread of these species as they compete with native plants for soil resources. We used a greenhouse pot experiment to study vegetative biomass allocation in response to drought stress in two exotic grass species, Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) and smooth brome (Bromus inermis Leyss), and two native species, western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii (Rydb.) A. Löve) and green needlegrass (Stipa viridula Trin.). The experiment was conducted over 3 months in 2010 and again in 2011 in a factorial design of four species and two drought treatments. The proportional data of biomass allocation to shoots, roots, rhizomes and crowns (shoot base) of grass seedlings were analysed by both the nonparametric Mann–Whitney U‐test on the original data and one‐way anova on the arcsine‐transformed data. Our data suggest a clear distinction between the two invasive and two native species in potential competitiveness in soil resource use, with the two exotic species having higher biomass allocation to roots than the two native species and the native species having a higher biomass allocation to crowns than the two exotic species. It is interesting to note that the strongly rhizomatous smooth brome did not produce rhizomes in the first season's growth, regardless of the water stress level. The effect of drought stress on biomass allocation manifested itself more on rhizomes or crowns than on roots or shoots of the four studied grass species, with the effects species‐specific in nature.     

Development and growth of two Lesquerella species grown under different temperatures during the reproductive period

The genus Lesquerella is a promising source of hydroxy fatty acids (HFA). Several species such as Lesquerella fendleri and Lesquerella mendocina are candidate crops for arid and semi-arid cropping systems. Several reports are available on the environmental effects on growth and yield in Lesquerella, but information on the effect of temperature on plant growth and development specifically during the reproductive period in Lesquerella is limited. The objective of this work was to determine the effect of two contrasting thermal regimes after flowering on time to maturity, plant growth and biomass allocation to the different organs in L. fendleri and L. mendocina. A greenhouse experiment was conducted with plants grown at a range of 11–23 °C during the vegetative phase. After this stage, 50% of the plants of each species remained under the same temperature regime until maturity, whereas the other 50% was transferred to another module subjected to a range of 17–31 °C until maturity. The duration of the reproductive phase was reduced by 23 days in plants of both species in the 17–31 °C treatment compared to those at 11–23 °C, although no differences were observed when the length of the reproductive phase was measured in thermal-time units. Total plant biomass for both species was 20% greater in the 11–23 °C treatment. In L. fendleri, this increment occurred due to more vegetative shoot biomass, whereas in L. mendocina it was associated with greater reproductive and root biomass. No changes in biomass allocation were produced by temperature in L. fendleri, while in L. mendocina the lower temperature regime increased allocation to the reproductive organs, at the expense of a lower allocation to vegetative shoot. These results could be used to predict the specific temperature effects after flowering on yield under field conditions, and suggest that L. mendocina might be a promising perennial alternative for cooler sites.     

Effects of simulated grazing on growth and persistence of Artemisia frigida in a semiarid sandy rangeland

Abstract To assess the tolerance of fringed sagewort (Artemisia frigida Willd.) to grazing in semiarid sandy rangeland, forty‐five fringed sagewort plants of similar size were chosen randomly from sandy rangeland and divided into three cohorts (fifteen plants per cohort) that were subjected to simulated grazing management in 1998. Plants were cut in spring on 24 April and again in summer on 26 July at either 2–3 cm (severe), or at5–6 cm (moderate), or uncut to serve as the control. Plant responses to intensity of cutting were monitored over two consecutive years differing substantially in the amount and seasonal distribution of rainfall. Cutting in spring (moderate or severe) did not influence plant height, average canopy diameter, the number of branches, and specific branching density measured in July 1998. Moderate cutting in summer reduced plant height compared with the uncut treatment but did not influence other plant growth variables in September 1998. However, severe cutting in summer during the reproductive stage strongly reduced plant height, canopy size, the number of branches, individual shoot weight and specific branching density in September 1998 compared with moderate and no cutting and its negative impacts on the growth of this species were evident in the following year. Severe cutting in spring significantly increased the number of flowering shoots, whereas cutting in summer (at either level) reduced the capacity of fringed sagewort to produce flowering shoots. Also, the negative impact of summer cutting on seed production continued in the following year. The production of plant biomass was similar in the three treatments in 1998, but it was significantly lower in cut than uncut plants in 1999. The reduced biomass was due to a decline in plant height, canopy size, number of branches and specific branching density. Compared with the uncut plants, the cut plants tended to allocate a greater proportion of their biomass to vegetative shoots and leaves than to flowering shoots in 1998; in 1999, although cutting treatments had ceased, the cut plants still allocated a greater proportion of new biomass to vegetative shoots and less to flowering shoots, but a similar proportion to leaves.     

Relationships between reproductive output, morpho-physiological traits and life span in Lesquerella (Brassicaceae)

The development of perennial industrial crops could contribute to increase agriculture sustainability and yield stability in arid environments. Since perennial plants allocate resources preferentially to perpetuation and to structural and functional characters that provide drought tolerance, they tend to have lower reproductive output (yield) than their congeneric annuals. Four species of Lesquerella native to arid regions were evaluated to understand the relationships between reproduction, drought tolerance, and their association with the plant's life span. We assessed the following set of characters (defined as plant strategies): phenology, gas exchange, specific leaf area, leaf area ratio, total biomass and biomass allocation. Annual (Lesquerella gracilis and Lesquerella angustifolia) and perennial (Lesquerella mendocina and Lesquerella pinetorum) species were compared under water limiting conditions. Within this set of species differences in structural and functional characters were observed. The annual, L. gracilis showed a plant strategy characterized by high reproductive output, harvest index (HI) and specific leaf area (SLA). L. mendocina (perennial), produced more total biomass, but had a low reproductive output, and also showed characters that provide drought tolerance (high allocation to roots-root mass ratio (RMR), and storage-total non structural carbohydrates (TNC) and low SLA). The annual L. angustifolia and the perennial L. pinetorum had intermediate plant strategies (i.e. intermediate values of traits typically related with annual or perennial life span). In the case of L. pinetorum we found some traits common to L. mendocina: long vegetative period, high biomass, CO₂ assimilation rate (A), and water use efficiency (WUE), and low SLA. The high reproductive output in L. pinetorum was a result of both, higher total biomass and longer growing season compared to the annuals, and of higher HI in relation to the other perennial. These differences in plant strategies among perennial Lesquerella show that there are different combinations of traits that could be used as criteria for the selection of a perennial crop in programs of domestication for Patagonia and others arid lands.     

Morphological traits and allocation patterns related to stress-tolerance and seed-yield in wild and domesticated evening primrose (Oenothera L. Onagraceae)

Wild evening primrose species (Oenothera spp.) native to Argentina, have been suggested as a new crop for irrigated valleys of semi-arid Patagonia. This paper describes patterns of biomass allocation, morphological traits related to stress-tolerance and seed-yield in four species of Oenothera grown in a common garden at three plant densities. Wild and domesticated species are compared. The effect of resource availability on those traits during three phenological stages (vegetative, reproductive and maturity) is described. Native species were characterized by traits related to stress-tolerance (high root allocation and low specific leaf area) during the vegetative stage. This suite of traits resulted in low biomass accumulation and low seed-yield. The domesticated O. biennis was characterized by a combination of traits related to stress-tolerance (low specific leaf area) and high productivity (high leaf allocation and leaf area ratio and low root allocation). Domesticated species accumulated more biomass than natives. Total biomass and total non-structural carbohydrates present in roots were positively correlated to seed-yield.Oenothera biennis showed the highest seed-yield, although this species showed yield instability in response to changes in the environmental quality. No changes in seed-yield in response to plant density were recorded for either O. lamarckiana or native species. Oenothera biennis showed an optimum density of 20 plants m⁻² and yielded 260 g m⁻², a seed-yield similar to that reported in other countries. Low seed-yield of native species is major drawback that must be overcome. Improving seed-yield in these species could be possible by selection oriented to increase total biomass. Since no detrimental effect of density was found in O. lamarckiana and natives, a higher plant density might increase yield production per unit area.     

Plant growth strategies of Thymus vulgaris L. in response to population density

Thymus vulgaris L., known as common thyme, is a perennial subshrub native to the Mediterranean region. The use of the extracts and herb of thyme plants as antibacterial, antioxidant, natural food preservative and in cosmetic industry has increased the economic importance of this medicinal crop worldwide. Agricultural practices have an influence on growth and yield of thyme plants. Therefore, an experiment was undertaken to determine the effects of three intra-row spacing (15, 30 and 45 cm) and four harvesting times (vegetative, beginning of blooming, full blooming and fruit set) on plant growth and herbage biomass of thyme in 2007 in the research farm of Shoubak University College in the southern part of Jordan. The experiment was a split plot in randomized complete block design with four replicates. Apart from the experiment in 2007, measurements taken on the 15th of November in 2008 were treated as an independent experiment irrespective of harvesting stage. The effects of spacing were not significant for all the parameters measured in 2007. Intra-row spacing in 2008 had significant effects (P < 0.05) on plant height, canopy diameter, herbage fresh and dry weight and number of leaves on long shoots. Its effect on dry weight of shoots, fresh and dry weight of long shoots, number of long shoots, root depth, leaf area and specific leaf area was very significant (P < 0.01). Results of this study indicated that thyme plants grown using 15 cm planting space and harvested at the fruit set stage in 2007 had the highest fresh and dry weight of shoots. The highest dry weight of shoots, herbage fresh and dry weight was also obtained in 2008 in 15 cm spacing. Closer spacing resulted in significantly taller plants that exhibited higher shoot:root ratio and, therefore, plants grown using 15 cm intra-row spacing had a better use of light and accumulated more biomass compared to plants in wider spacing. The differentiation between long shoots and short shoots throughout plant development in 2007 suggests a specialization in carbon gain along different times in the growing season. Swings observed for shoot:root ratio, leaf area and specific leaf area were related to thyme growth. The decrease in specific leaf area between vegetative and full bloom stage indicated that leaves became thicker as part of an adaptive mechanism to the surrounding environment. Information obtained from growth parameters, leaf area and specific leaf area in particular, could be related to essential oil production in leaves of thyme plants.     

玉米BURP家族基因的鉴定和分析

利用玉米基因组数据库,通过生物信息学手段鉴定玉米BURP家族基因的全序列、定位和编码蛋白,通过序列比对进行进化和分类分析,利用玉米高通量芯片表达数据进行组织表达谱分析。结果表明,玉米基因组中含有10个BURP家族基因,分布于玉米的5条染色体上,该10个基因通过选择性剪切编码14个BURP蛋白。启动子分析表明,大部分BURP家族基因的启动子区均含有逆境应答及花粉和种子发育顺式作用元件。各个发育阶段中,多数成员在生殖器官及营养器官中均有较高的表达量,只有ZmBURP3仅在营养器官根、茎、叶中高表达,ZmBURP2仅在生殖器官雄蕊和花粉中高量表达。实时荧光定量PCR结果表明,ZmBURP3、ZmBURP4基因受PEG和NaCl胁迫处理诱导不同程度上调表达。     

Reproductive responses of alpine plants to grassland degradation and artificial restoration in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Artificial grassland establishment has been implemented in the alpine region of Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau in China as a mitigation tool against grassland degradation, one of the major environmental problems in this region. We hypothesized that both grassland degradation and artificial restoration may alter the reproductive modes of the alpine vegetation at the levels of individual species as well as plant functional groups. By investigating a long-term field study of grassland degradation and artificial restoration experiments, we found that alpine plants can maintain a highly plastic relationship between sexual and asexual reproduction, that is, the alpine plants in degraded grasslands increased their efforts towards sexual reproduction while those in artificially restored grasslands promoted their efforts in vegetative reproduction with in the year after restoration. The high reproductive plasticity of the alpine plants can be regulated through a number of mechanisms, which include changing proportion of clonal species in the plant composition, altering number ratio of sexual and vegetative propagules, shifting biomass allocation for sexual and vegetative reproduction at both individual species and functional group levels. These conclusions demonstrate how crucial it is to consider manipulation of reproductive modes needed to restore the structure and stability of degraded alpine grasslands.     

Relationship between climatic factors and the dry matter production of swards of different composition at two altitudes

The growth of a timothy sward, a timothy/white clover mixture and a multi-grass/white clover mixture were compared and related to climatic factors at two sites of different altitudes.
Temperature and radiation had a greater effect on sward growth than did species composition or management. If the reproductive and vegetative growth periods were studied separately, then more than 90% of the variation in yield could be explained by temperature and radiation. During spring reproductive growth, yields per unit increment of temperature or radiation were 2–3 times higher than during summer vegetative growth. Spring growth was affected more by temperature than by radiation and the lower yields at the higher altitude were also related to lower temperatures.     

The Occurrence of Delayed Stem Senescence in Relation to trans-Zeatin Riboside Level in the Xylem Exudate in Soybeans Grown under Excess-Wet and Drought Soil Conditions

Abstract

Delayed stem senescence (DSS) after pod maturation in soybean (Glycine max) lowers the quality of products in the mechanized harvest. The effects of drought and excess wet soil conditions on the occurrence of DSS were studied with special reference to remobilization of vegetative nitrogen and supply of cytokinin via xylem. Excess wet soil treatment was applied throughout the reproductive period to field-grown soybean in 2003 (Exp.1) and short-term drought stress treatment was applied during the reproductive period to pot-grown soybean plants in 2004 (Exp.2). The degree of DSS at pod maturing was evaluated by the DSS score from “1” for severe DSS to “5” for completely synchronous senescence of pods and vegetative parts. The DSS score in Exp.1 varied from 2.2 to 2.5 and that in Exp.2 from 2.8 to 3.7. Excess wet soil treatment in Exp.1 promoted the occurrence of DSS, while drought stress treatments during the periods of flowering to pod elongation, later seed-filling and seed maturing decreased it. The soybean plants that showed distinct DSS had lower ratios of seed number to vegetative dry weight at seed maturity and a lower rate of nitrogen remobilization from vegetative organs to seeds during the latter half of the reproductive period. The trans-zeatin riboside (t-ZR) level in xylem exudate tended to be higher in soybeans with severer DSS than in those normally matured in both experiments showing increased t-ZR concentration and/or higher exudation rate. These results suggest that DSS can be caused by a wet soil water condition, which lowers pod/seed number and increases vegetative organs mediated by the increased supply of cytokinin through xylem during seed-filling.     

Yield formation strategies of durum wheat landraces with distinct pattern of dispersal within the Mediterranean basin: II. Biomass production and allocation

The purpose of this study was to determine if the geographical pattern of dispersal of durum wheat within the Mediterranean region was associated with variation in biomass and leaf area accumulation and distribution, as well as the relationships between these traits and grain yield. Fifty-two landraces previously genetically characterized as dispersed by the north or south of the Mediterranean basin were grown in three rainfed sites in northeastern Spain. The origin of landraces influenced biomass production and allocation. Landraces from the north side of the Mediterranean basin produced 19% more tillers than those from the south, resulting in larger biomass and leaf area allocation on tillers at anthesis. Southern landraces showed a better adaptation to drought environments. They had 6% larger plot stand at jointing, produced 9% more biomass at anthesis and distributed it mostly in the main stem. Besides, they were more efficient in the allocation of biomass to reproductive organs because their mean harvest index (HI) exceeded that of northern landraces by 7%. Crop dry weight (CDW) and leaf area index (LAI) at jointing were positively related to yield in both groups of landraces, whereas at anthesis, no relationship was found between those traits and grain yield. Pre-anthesis assimilates contributed to grain yield by 40 and 90% in northern and southern genotypes, respectively. These results highlight the relevance of early crop development and the remobilization of stored assimilates to grain as adaptative traits to dry Mediterranean environments.     

Promotive effects of long-term fertilization on growth of tissue culture-derived Hypericum polyanthemum plants during acclimatization

The effect of long-term fertilization supply on biomass yield and secondary metabolites accumulation was assessed in vegetative and reproductive parts of acclimatized field grown plants of Hypericum polyanthemum, an endemic species of southern Brazil. Fertilization caused positive responses in plant growth with biomass increment of vegetative and reproductive parts, proportional to the MS solution concentration (25%, 50% and 100%), whereas the chemical analyses indicated that the supply of fertilization solution did not alter the concentration of 6-isobutyryl-5,7-dimethoxy-2,2-dimethyl-benzopyran (HP1), 7-hydroxy-6-isobutyryl-5-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-benzopyran (HP2), uliginosin B as well as total phenolic compounds (TPCs), and increased the accumulation of 5-hydroxy-6-isobutyryl-7-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-benzopyran (HP3) in all fertilization regimes.     

Water relations and growth of the weed,goosegrass (Eleusine indica), under drought stress

The relative sensitivity to water stress at different growth stages of goosegrass (Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertner) was investigated by measuring water status and growth of groups of plants stressed during the vegetative stage, the reproductive stage, and during both stages. Plants were grown from seed in large pots in a controlled-environment chamber at 29/23°C and 14-h photoperiod. In all treatments, decreasing leaf water-potential was correlated with decreasing osmotic and pressure potentials. Plants stressed during the flowering stage maintained greater pressure potentials at any leaf water-potential than plants stressed during vegetative growth or stressed twice. Prestressing the plants did not induce lower leaf osmotic potentials at full turgor. However, dehydration was the main cause of low osmotic potentials measured in the leaves of the plants stressed twice. Stomatal closure occurred over a relatively large range of leaf water-potentials. The sensitivity of stomata to water stress in this species was fairly similar in the two growth stages studied. Leaves of plants stressed during the flowering stage had a smaller decline in total biomass during the stress period, and a higher rate of growth after rewatering, compared to the plants that received a stress during vegetative growth and flowering or were stressed during vegetative growth.     

Stem growth during seed production in soybean: Implications for pod yield

In soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.), stems remain a competitive carbon resource sink during reproduction. Radial stem expansion after termination of axial stem growth requires resources to produce secondary cell walls in secondary vascular tissues. The impact of both the timing and extent of secondary growth in stems on fruit production in soybean is unknown. We hypothesized that cultivars gaining higher amounts of secondary vascular tissues during seed filling would experience lower reproductive output. Four determinate cultivars were grown in a greenhouse and harvested at the beginning and ending of seed filling for biomass determination and tissue composition measurement (ImageJ-Fiji). Cultivar ‘Hanover’ entered seed filling with the lowest amount of secondary phloem. It produced the largest increase in radial stem expansion, largest seeds, and fewest undeveloped (aborted) fruits. The physiological role of active secondary phloem production in stems for seed production in soybean reproduction is unclear. We reject our initial hypothesis and propose that high fitness may require the concomitant growth of vegetative and reproductive organs.     

微喷灌水肥一体化对河北夏玉米生长及产量的影响

设置漫灌常规施肥(CK)、微喷灌常规施肥(MC)以及微喷灌减肥20%(MR)3个处理,研究3种不同水肥处理对华北地区夏玉米营养生长和生殖生长以及最终产量的影响。结果表明,常规施肥量情况下,微喷灌能够促进玉米灌浆期生物量的积累,MC处理比CK处理显著提高9.58%,成熟期没有显著性差异;微喷灌减肥20%没有造成生物量积累的减少。常规施肥量情况下,微喷灌能够显著促进玉米子粒的灌浆速率,达最大灌浆速率时的天数比CK处理高1 d,灌浆速率最大时的生长量Wmax比CK高9.99%,灌浆活跃期比CK高7.20%;微喷灌减肥20%处理,与CK处理相比达最大灌浆速率时的天数比CK处理高1.60 d,灌浆速率最大时的生长量Wmax比CK高10.59%,灌浆活跃期比CK高14.83%,最大灌浆速率低于CK处理。MC处理玉米产量最高,分别比CK处理与MR处理提高6.70%与5.68%(P0.05);MR处理与CK处理没有显著性差异。     

Biomass allocation patterns and reproductive output of four Oenothera L. accessions native to Argentina

Evening primrose (Oenothera spp.) has the potential to become an alternative oilseed crop in Patagonia, Argentina. This paper describes and compares phenology and allocation patterns of four wild accessions of Oenothera grown in a common garden, under non-limiting conditions. Our objective was to identify useful traits to shorten the domestication process. Accessions differed in the duration of the vegetative growth phase, which was negatively correlated to seed production per plant (reproductive output). Fruit set ranged between 70% and 95%, and did not differ among accessions. Differences found in the rate of capsule production did not explain the observed disparity in the number of fruits per plant. Reproductive output was mainly affected by the number of fruits per plant, vegetative biomass, and the proportion between seeds and total biomass (reproductive effort). Individual seed mass did not affect total seed production per plant. Seed-oil content was similar to that of domesticated species of evening primrose, but the content of gamma-linolenic acid was far too low (<2%) in comparison to the minimum acceptable standard necessary for seed commercialization (9%). Oenothera wild accessions are prone to seed losses by shattering. We concluded that short vegetative growth phase and high vegetative biomass would be useful traits for selection in breeding programs. Fruit shattering and low gamma-linolenic acid content are the main drawbacks that should be overcome to facilitate the domestication of one of these wild accessions.     

Changes in species composition of abandoned sown swards after imposing seasonal cutting treatments

Abstract Seasonal cutting treatments were imposed on abandoned perennial ryegrass/white clover swards at three sites in the UK to determine the impact on species diversity and the contribution of different species to biomass. Before the cutting experiment, the abandoned swards had received no fertilizer applications and had been neither grazed nor cut for 3 years. The original sown species, Lolium perenne and Trifolium repens, had virtually disappeared during this period. Self‐sown grasses, including Agrostis capillaris, Dactylis glomerata, Festuca rubra, Holcus mollis, Poa pratensis and P. trivialis, had become dominant at two sites. Ranunculus repens was the dominant species at the third site, and self‐sown grasses, such as Holcus lanatus and P. trivialis, and Juncus and Carex species were also present. The standing herbage in 2·5 m × 2·5 m subplots was cut to 2·5 cm above ground level and removed annually in either June or October for 7 years at two sites and 6 years at the third site. Total biomass removed was generally < 4 t dry matter (DM) ha^?1, and both total and live biomass decreased over time in the June cutting treatment at two sites. There were large changes in species composition after initiating the two cutting treatments. The numbers of grass and dicot species increased, although many new species had a low frequency of occurrence. The contribution of species to biomass changed over time, with species showing a vegetative regenerative strategy decreasing over time at one site. At this site, annual cutting in June was slightly more effective than cutting in October in reducing the dominance of R. repens; cutting in early October effectively reduced Juncus spp. At two sites, there was a decrease in the contribution of the species group showing seasonal regeneration by seed, and differences between cutting dates for two species within this group at one site. L. perenne and T. repens remained at much lower levels than in adjacent unfertilized, grazed swards. Reseeding may be necessary to create species assemblages for ecological and agricultural objectives.     

Reproductive tillers in cut tall fescue swards: differences according to sward age and fertilizer nitrogen application, and relationships with the local dynamics of the sward

The effects of sward age and fertilizer‐nitrogen (N) application rate on reproductive tillers and their involvement in the dynamics of swards of perennial grasses were investigated using sown swards of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea). Treatments included plots representing two sward ages (two and six‐year‐old swards) and two fertilizer‐N rates (150 and 350 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1) on the same experimental field. In each of 2 years all plots were cut at the silage stage and three times afterwards. After each cut, during two growing seasons, the vegetative tillers and stubs of cut reproductive tillers were counted in ten permanent quadrats for each of the four treatments, using a grid of 150 cells, each of 2 cm × 2 cm. The results showed a higher density, and a greater proportion of reproductive tillers, on the higher fertilizer‐N rate treatment and on the older swards. The density of vegetative tillers was found to be greater in close proximity to the reproductive tillers in all sward treatments and in both assessment years. Thus, cutting the reproductive tillers did not result in thinning of the swards. It is suggested that a mother‐tiller effect, enhancing renewal of tillers, was likely, although zones bearing reproductive tillers during the second spring were sometimes already denser than zones in the rest of the quadrats before the winter.     

Biomass production of upland vegetation types in England and Wales

Abstract The objective of the study was to describe the annual and seasonal production of live biomass of six plant species or communities of the uplands of the UK –Calluna vulgaris, Vaccinium myrtillus, Nardus stricta, Molinia caerulea, Eriophorum vaginatum and Agrostis–Festuca grassland. The species or communities are important for the management of the uplands to meet both biodiversity and agriculture objectives. The annual and seasonal production of live biomass was determined for sites within six regions of England and Wales in 1995, 1996 and 1997. The six regions were North‐east England, North‐west England, North Pennines, South Pennines, South‐west England and Wales. In each region, the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology's Land Classification Scheme was used to select three or four 2 km × 2 km squares that contained a mosaic of C. vulgaris and upland grassland plant species. Uniform plots of 1 ha were selected from each 2 km × 2 km square, within which three measurements were made on each sampling occasion. Biomass of each species or community was measured within 1·0 × 0·5‐m quadrats using the same standard procedures. Measurements of annual production of current season's shoots of the pioneer, building, mature and degenerate phases of C. vulgaris and of V. myrtillus were made in October, and of the annual production of live biomass of N. stricta, M. caerulea and E. vaginatum in August. A simulated grazing regime was imposed for the Agrostis–Festuca grassland with cuts being made to a height of 4 cm at 8‐week intervals. The annual production of live biomass produced was estimated as the sum of four harvests taken during the growing season. Seasonal measurements of the amount of live biomass of all the species were also made in April, June, August and October. For C. vulgaris, there were significant (P = 0·05) differences between the pioneer, building, mature and degenerate phases in the annual production of current season's shoots, with greater amounts being produced by the phases of greater age and with higher biomass. There were significant year (P < 0·05) and region (P < 0·05) effects, with the lowest production in 1995 and in the South‐west of England. The values were higher than those observed in previous studies in Scotland, and these were interpreted as being associated with a longer growing season rather than higher summer temperatures. There was no difference between years and regions in the annual production of V. myrtillus. For the grass species, there were small differences in annual production of live biomass between years and regions. However, the annual production of live biomass of N. stricta was significantly (P < 0·01) lower in 1995 than in 1996 and 1997 and significantly (P < 0·001) lower in the South Pennines region than elsewhere. The effect of a range of weather and other environmental variables on the annual production of live biomass of each species of grass was explored, but they provided only a limited insight into the reasons for the observed differences and were found to be of limited value as predictors.     

行距配置与密度对兰考906群体质量及产量的影响

研究了在高产条件下，不同行距配置、密度对兰考906群体结构、光合及产量的影响。结果表明，16．7cm的行距配置由于冬前分茶蘖多，春季分蘖少，减缓了营养生长与生殖生长的矛盾，成穗数、穗粒数较多。；23．3cm行距配置无效分蘖多，后期群体较小，功能叶衰老慢，粒重高；密度增加，产量并未提高。16．7cm行距配置375万／hm^2基因苗处理产量最高。