Shading effects on spatial growth and biomass partitioning of Cynodon dactylon

Cynodon dactylon is a low-growing C4 weed that is highly sensitive to shading. This species shows severe biomass reductions and highly plastic morphological changes in response to resource availability. The objective of this study was to analyse the effect of shading on the spatial and biomass growth of C. dactylon . Two experiments were carried out exploring different environmental conditions. Six treatments were applied on C. dactylon patches. Daylight and 18%, 41%, 48%, 69% and 85% shading of daylight photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) were imposed in Expt 1 and 0%, 22%, 44%, 50%, 74% and 87% shading of daylight PAR in Expt 2. Patches were slightly elliptical in shape and grew 3.2 and 1.5 cm d⁻¹ with 0% shading, on average, during the whole studied periods in Expts 1 and 2 respectively. Biomass was significantly reduced from 41% shading onwards in Expt 1 and from 50% shading in Expt 2. However, patch extension rate was only significantly reduced from 85% and 74% shading in Expts 1 and 2 respectively. Biomass partitioning was modified by shading in both experiments. A functional analysis of C. dactylon patches showed that the patch extension rate diminished linearly when patch biomass growth rate was lower than 1.66 g d⁻¹; above this value, the extension rate remained constant.