THE EFFECT OF SEED SIZE ON EARLY GROWTH OF DIPLOID AND TETRAPLOIE ITALIAN RYEGRASS

Two different sizes of seed of a tetraploid and a diploid Italian ryegrass were sown in pure stands. Harvests were made at frequent intervals from 14 to 54 days after sowing, the root-and shoot-yields and numbers of leaves and tillers being recorded at each harvest. The results suggest that seed size per se has little influence on leaf- and tiller-numbers and that large seed increases yield potential only during the first few weeks of growth.