Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-03T05:15:13.833Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Early spring and late autumn response to applied nitrogen in four grasses

2. Leaf Development

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

D. Wilman  and
A. A. Mohamed
D. Wilman
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, University College of Wales, Aberystwyth
A. A. Mohamed
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, University College of Wales, Aberystwyth
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

The regrowth of Aberystwyth S. 23 perennial ryegrass, S. 24 perennial ryegrass, S. 59 red fescue and S. 170 tall fescue was studied in field swards, comparing four levels of applied nitrogen, for 8 weeks following a clearing cut. The clearing cuts were in mid-October, mid-February and mid-March in each of 3 years, different plots being used on each occasion.

The application of N increased the number of leaf primordia, the number of un-emerged leaves, the rate of leaf emergence and death, leaf blade length, width and weight, sheath length, number of leaves per unit area of ground and proportion of green tissue in total yield. The application of N had little effect on the number of leaves per tiller and tended to reduce weight per unit area of leaf blade. The increase in size, weight and number of leaf blades appeared to be major reasons for the positive effect of applied N on yield, previously reported; and the increase in sheath length contributed to the increase in proportion of yield above 4 cm. Rate of leaf extension was not closely related to yield and was more sensitive to temperature than was yield. Changes during regrowth in blade and sheath length helped to explain changes in weight per tiller, previously reported. The effects of improving weather conditions in late winter/early spring were similar to the effects of applied N: larger, heavier leaf blades, longer sheaths, a taller canopy, a lower proportion of dead material, younger leaves. The length of shoot apex per leaf primordium was relatively constant. Leaves continued to emerge, at a slow rate, in the period December–February. S. 170 had the biggest leaves, particularly in May, and the slowest rate of leaf turnover. Rate of leaf extension was increased by applied N more, on average, in the ryegrasses than in the fescues.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 94 , Issue 2 , April 1980 , pp. 443 - 453
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1980

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Cooper, J. P. (1951). Studies on growth and development in Lolium. II. Pattern of bud development of the shoot apex and its ecological significance. Journal of Ecology 39, 228–270.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davies, I. (1969). The influence of management on tiller development and herbage growth. Technical Bulletin, no. 3, Welsh Plant Breeding Station, pp. 121.Google Scholar
Jewiss, O. R. & Woledge, J. (1967). The effect of age on the rate of apparent photosynthesis in leaves of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.). Annals of Botany New Series 31, 661–671.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kemp, C. D. (1960). Methods of estimating the leaf area of grasses from linear measurements. Annals of Botany New Series 24, 491–499.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Langer, R. H. M. (1959). Growth and nutrition of timothy (Phleum pratense L.). V. Growth and flowering at different levels of nitrogen. Annals of Applied Biology 47, 740–751.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mohamed, A. A. (1978). Response to nitrogen supply in different grasses. Ph.D. thesis, University College of Wales, Aberystwyth.Google Scholar
Peacock, J. M. (1975 a). Temperature and leaf growth in Lolium perenne. I. The thermal microclimate: its measurement and relation to crop growth. Journal of Applied Ecology 12, 99–114.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peacock, J. M. (1975 b). Temperature and leaf growth in Lolium perenne. III. Factors affecting seasonal differences. Journal of Applied Ecology 12, 685–697.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robson, M. J. & Deacon, M. J. (1978). Nitrogen deficiency in small closed communities of S. 24 ryegrass. II. Changes in the weight and chemical composition of single leaves during their growth and death. Annals of Botany 42, 1199–1213.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ryle, G. J. A. (1964). A comparison of leaf and tiller growth in seven perennial grasses as influenced ” by nitrogen and temperature. Journal of the British Grassland Society 19, 281–290.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thomas, H. & Norris, I. B. (1977). The growth responses of Lolium perenne to the weather during winter and spring at various altitudes in mid–Wales. Journal of Applied Ecology 14, 949–964.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Whitehead, D. C. (1970). The role of nitrogen in grassland productivity. Bulletin no. 48, Commonwealth Bureau of Pastures and Field Crops. Farnham Royal: Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux.Google Scholar
Wilman, D. (1980). Early spring and late autumn response to applied nitrogen in four grasses. 1. Yield, number of tillers and chemical composition. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 94, 425–442.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilman, D., Droushiotis, D., Koocheki, A., Lwoga, A. B. & Shim, J. S. (1976). The effect of interval between harvests and nitrogen application on the proportion and yield of crop fractions in four ryegrass varieties in the first harvest year. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 86, 189–203.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilman, D., Droushiotis, D., Mzamane, M. N. & Shim, J. S. (1977). The effect of interval between harvests and nitrogen application on initiation, emergence and longevity of leaves, longevity of tillers and dimensions and weights of leaves and ‘stems’ in Lolium. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 89, 65–79.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilman, D., Koocheki, A. & Lwoga, A. B. (1976). The effect of interval between harvests and nitrogen application on the proportion and yield of crop fractions and on the digestibility and digestible yield and nitrogen content and yield of two perennial ryegrass varieties in the second harvest year. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 87, 59–74.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilman, D., Koocheki, A., Lwoga, A. B., Droushiotis, D. & Shim, J. S. (1976). The effect of interval between harvests and nitrogen application on the numbers and weights of tillers and leaves in four ryegrass varieties. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 87, 45–57.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilman, D. & Mares Martins, V. M. (1977). Senescence and death of herbage during periods of regrowth in ryegrass and red and white clover, and the effect of applied nitrogen. Journal of Applied Ecology 14, 615–620.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Woledge, J. (1977). The effects of shading and cutting treatments on the photosynthetic rate of ryegrass leaves. Annals of Botany 41, 1279–1286.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Woledge, J. & Leafe, E. L. (1976). Single leaf and canopy photosynthesis in a ryegrass sward. Annals of Botany 40, 773–783.CrossRefGoogle Scholar