New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts

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Tiller axis observations for perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea): number of active phytomers, probability of tiller appearance, and frequency of root appearance per phytomer for three cutting heights

J. Z. YANG*
C. MATTHEW

Department of Plant Science
Massey University
Private Bag 11222
Palmerston North, New Zealand.

R. E. ROWLAND

Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology
Massey University,
Private Bag 11222
Palmerston North, New Zealand.

*Present address: Department of Agronomy, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi, People's Republic of China.

Abstract Counts of phytomers in various developmental stages from formation at the apical meristem to senescence following root formation and death are presented for perennial ryegrass and tall fescue. Total number of active phytomers on tiller axes averaged 18.7 for perennial ryegrass and 16.3 for tall fescue (P < 0.05) and decreased with increasing cutting height (P < 0.05). Ryegrass maintained more primordia than tall fescue between the apical meristem and the emerging leaf, but had fewer fully emerged live leaves per tiller. Numbers of tillers and roots formed per phytomer are reported as nodal probabilities and nodal frequencies, respectively. The nodal probability of daughter tiller formation Tn varied over time from 0 to 0.7, and was highest when swards had a low leaf area index shortly after establishment. Nodal frequency of root formation Rn was relatively constant at around 1.5 per phytomer for both ryegrass and tall fescue. The first root was most commonly found at the phytomer immediately below the last live leaf. The number of phytomers on the tiller axis bearing live roots is approximately double the number bearing live leaves, indicating slower turnover rate of roots than leaves.

Keywords nodal probability of tiller formation; nodal frequency of root formation; position of first root; tiller axis; leaf primordia; perennial ryegrass; Lolium perenne; tall fescue; Festuca arundinacea

New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 1998, Vol. 41: 11-17

0028-8233/98/4101-0011 $7.00/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand 1998

PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (1055K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)

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