Growth of individual tillers and tillering rate of Lolium perenne and Bromus stamineus subjected to two defoliation frequencies in winter in Argentina

Abstract

AbstractThe aims of the experiment were to (i) test whether the higher leaf elongation rate per tiller (LERT) of Bromus stamineus D. than Lolium perenne L. at moderately low temperatures was maintained at high defoliation frequencies and (ii) explore responses in tiller dynamics during the onset of the cool season in the south‐east of the humid Pampas region in Argentina. The following treatments were applied: defoliation frequency at the 3·0‐leaf stage (i.e. one‐leaf lifespan), which is considered optimal, and higher defoliation frequency at the 1·5‐leaf stage (i.e. half‐of‐a‐leaf lifespan). The higher defoliation frequency reduced leaf elongation rate in both the species but it did not affect the leaf appearance rate. This confirms previous studies on several C3 grasses, suggesting a similar pattern of response. Changes in tiller size are proposed as a possible mechanism to explain such long‐term defoliation effects on leaf elongation rates. Responses in tiller production depended on the species considered. The higher defoliation frequency caused a reduction in site‐filling which led to lower tiller production rates in L. perenne but not in B. stamineus. Thus, B. stamineus maintained the advantage in LERT over L. perenne and its tiller production was not affected when defoliated at frequencies higher than those considered optimal.