Tiller Mortality Research Articles

The effects of roller crimping direction for termination of fall sown cereal rye (Secale cereale L.)

Consensus around the optimal direction of roller crimping a row-planted cover crop has not been established. Several publications report crimping either parallel or perpendicular to the direction of cover crop planting with little to no justification apart from unpublished observations or hypotheses. This study explicitly compared the effects of roller crimping direction on crimping efficacy, weed suppression, and cash crop yield. At Elora, ON in 2020 and 2021, and Harrow, ON in 2021, a cereal rye ( Secale cereale L.) cover crop was planted in three orientations (north-south vs. east-west vs. no rye control) then terminated with a roller crimper parallel or perpendicular to the direction of planting. A sweet corn ( Zea mays L.) cash crop was planted either north–south or east–west in the same direction as roller crimping. A split plot treatment of weediness (weedy vs. weed-free) was applied. It was found that roller crimping direction did not have a consistent effect on rye mortality or number of upright tillers, nor did it affect weed control. However, total marketable sweet corn fresh weight decreased in perpendicular crimped rye compared to parallel crimping, despite equivalent cob counts. We did not find evidence in this study to suggest that perpendicular roller crimping improves ground cover and therefore weed suppression, contrary to other unpublished observations. Given the effect on sweet corn yield, roller crimping perpendicular to the direction of cover crop planting may not be a suitable practice. Alternative methods for improving cover crop-based weed control should be investigated.

Effect of Crop Establishment Methods and Nitrogen Levels on Growth, Yield Attributes and Yield of Coarse Rice

A field experiment was conducted during kharif 2020 at farm of College of Agriculture, Kaul (Kaithal) of CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar to investigate the response of short duration non-scented rice variety HKR-48 to nitrogen under two different methods of crop establishment. The experiment was laid out in RBD factorial design consisting of two establishment methods i.e. direct seeded (DSR) and transplanted (TPR) as main plot treatments and six different levels of nitrogen (0, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 kg/ha) in sub- plots with three replications. The experiment showed that plants grown under the DSR method had greater height and tiller production at all growth stages but experienced higher tiller mortality later on. DSR also resulted in higher early-stage dry matter accumulation compared to TPR, but there was no significant difference at later stages or at harvest. Although the number of effective tillers did not significantly differ between DSR and TPR, DSR had 16% more grains per panicle with the same test weight. However, the transplanted crop had a significantly higher grain yield (11.9%) compared to the direct-seeded crop. Increasing nitrogen dosage up to 120 kg N/ha positively influenced growth parameters and yield-contributing characters. There was no significant difference between 120 kg N/ha and 150 kg N/ha in respect of growth indicators. Grain yield was significantly enhanced with increased nitrogen dosage, but the difference between 120 kg N/ha and 150 kg N/ha was not significant.

Tall fescue tiller survival over summer in a subtropical environment: The role of the size and depth of root systems

AbstractPasture persistence is a key determinant of the economic and environmental performance of pastoral animal production systems. Large and deep root systems that help resist summer water stress have been proposed as a relevant trait for vegetative persistence of perennial temperate forage species growing in subtropical climates or under future climatically challenging scenarios. In a previous study [Jauregui et al., 2017. Persistence of tall fescue in a subtropical environment: Tiller survival over summer in response to flowering control and nitrogen supply. Grass and Forage Science 72, 454–466] we have shown that nitrogen fertilization and grazing management aimed at ‘control flowering’ increased the survival of tall fescue tillers during harsh summers in Uruguay (lat. 32°S). Here we assessed: (i) to what extent tiller survival is mediated by root system size in spring and (ii) what consequences tiller survival entails for root mass, depth and morphology the following autumn. In two field experiments, significant increases in tiller survival in response to nitrogen fertilization and grazing management (+60% and +80% in 2011/12 and 2012/13, respectively) were not related to concomitant effects on the size or depth of the root system in spring (p > .10). Even when six‐fold within‐treatment variation in root mass was observed, within‐treatment variation in summer tiller survival was little affected (<15%, p = .08). In turn, differences in tiller survival over summer affected little root system characteristics the following autumn. Therefore, we found scant support for the hypothesis that large and deep root systems contribute to survival of tall fescue tillers in this subtropical humid climate. Except for soils with less than 30 mm of plant available water holding capacity, summer water deficits did not induce severe tiller mortality in tall fescue in this climate.

Nanosilica enhances morphogenic and chemical parameters of Megathyrsus maximus grass under conditions of phosphorus deficiency and excess stress in different soils

Phosphorus (P) imbalances are a recurring issue in cultivated soils with pastures across diverse regions. In addition to P deficiency, the prevalence of excess P in soil has escalated, resulting in damage to pasture yield. In response to this reality, there is a need for well-considered strategies, such as the application of silicon (Si), a known element for alleviating plant stress. However, the influence of Si on the morphogenetic and chemical attributes of forage grasses grown in various soils remains uncertain. Consequently, this study aimed to assess the impact of P deficiency and excess on morphogenetic and chemical parameters, as well as digestibility, in Zuri guinea grass cultivated in Oxisol and Entisol soils. It also sought to determine whether fertigation with nanosilica could mitigate the detrimental effects of these nutritional stresses. Results revealed that P deficiency led to a reduction in tiller numbers and grass protein content, along with an increase in lignin content. Conversely, P excess resulted in higher proportions of dead material and lignin, a reduced mass leaf: stem ratio in plants, and a decrease in dry matter (DM) yield. Fertigation with Si improved tillering and protein content in deficient plants. In the case of P excess, Si reduced tiller mortality and lignin content, increased the mass leaf:stem ratio, and enhanced DM yield. This approach also increased yields in plants with sufficient P levels without affecting grass digestibility. Thus, Si utilization holds promise for enhancing the growth and chemical characteristics of forage grasses under P stress and optimizing yield in well-nourished, adapted plants, promoting more sustainable pasture yields.

Simulation of winter wheat response to variable sowing dates and densities in a high-yielding environment.

Crop multi-model ensembles (MME) have proven to be effective in increasing the accuracy of simulations in modelling experiments. However, the ability of MME to capture crop responses to changes in sowing dates and densities has not yet been investigated. These management interventions are some of the main levers for adapting cropping systems to climate change. Here, we explore the performance of a MME of 29 wheat crop models to predict the effect of changing sowing dates and rates on yield and yield components, on two sites located in a high-yielding environment in New Zealand. The experiment was conducted for 6 years and provided 50 combinations of sowing date, sowing density and growing season. We show that the MME simulates seasonal growth of wheat well under standard sowing conditions, but fails under early sowing and high sowing rates. The comparison between observed and simulated in-season fraction of intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (FIPAR) for early sown wheat shows that the MME does not capture the decrease of crop above ground biomass during winter months due to senescence. Models need to better account for tiller competition for light, nutrients, and water during vegetative growth, and early tiller senescence and tiller mortality, which are exacerbated by early sowing, high sowing densities, and warmer winter temperatures.

Drought and warming alter gross primary production allocation and reduce productivity in a widespread pasture grass

Carbon allocation determines plant growth, fitness and reproductive success. However, climate warming and drought impacts on carbon allocation patterns in grasses are not well known, particularly following grazing or clipping. A widespread C3 pasture grass, Festuca arundinacea, was grown at 26 and 30°C in controlled environment chambers and subjected to drought (65% reduction relative to well-watered controls). Leaf, root and whole-plant carbon fluxes were measured and linked to growth before and after clipping. Both drought and warming reduced gross primary production and plant biomass. Drought reduced net leaf photosynthesis but increased the leaf respiratory fraction of assimilated carbon. Warming increased root respiration but did not affect either net leaf photosynthesis or leaf respiration. There was no evidence of thermal acclimation. Moreover, root respiratory carbon loss was amplified in the combined drought and warming treatment and, in addition to a negative carbon balance aboveground, explained an enhanced reduction in plant biomass. Plant regrowth following clipping was strongly suppressed by drought, reflecting increased tiller mortality and exacerbated respiratory carbon loss. These findings emphasize the importance of considering carbon allocation patterns in response to grazing or clipping and interactions with climatic factors for sustainable pasture production in a future climate.

Tillering dynamics in spring and summer of marandu palisade grass pastures previously used under deferred grazing

ABSTRACT This work was conducted to evaluate the effect of deferred pasture condition of Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu in the late winter on tillering during the growing season. The treatments were three pasture conditions at late winter: short pasture, tall pasture and tall/mown pasture. In September and October, tiller appearance rate (TApR) and tiller mortality rate (TMoR) were greater in the tall/mown pasture. In November and December, tall pasture presented greater TApR. From November to January the TMoR was greater in the tall pasture. The tiller stability index of short and tall/mown pastures were greater in October. The short pasture presented a greater tiller number than the tall and tall/mown pastures during the entire experimental period. Deferred and short pasture of marandu palisade grass at late winter presents in general lower tiller mortality and higher population density of tillers from the early spring onwards, in comparison to tall pasture. The mowing of marandu palisade grass with high forage mass at the late winter, although it only temporarily compromises the population stability of tillers, also stimulates its fast tillering from spring on.

Herbage accumulation and tillering dynamics of ‘Zuri’ guineagrass under rotational stocking

AbstractUnderstanding the effects of grazing management on tillering dynamics of forage grasses may help identify management practices that optimize pasture production, stability, and ultimately, persistence. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of two grazing frequencies (regrowth interrupted when the canopy was 70 cm tall or at 95% canopy light interception [LI]) and two grazing intensities (reduction of 29 [lenient] or 57% [standard] of initial canopy height) in ‘BRS Zuri’ guineagrass [Megathyrsus maximus (Jacq.) B.K. Simon & S. W. L Jacobs (syn. Panicum maximum Jacq.)], under rotational stocking and on herbage accumulation rate (HAR), tiller appearance rate, tiller mortality, tiller survival rate, tiller stability index (SI), tiller population density (TPD), tiller mass (TM), apical meristem height, and tiller half‐life during two summer rainy seasons in Piracicaba, Brazil. The experimental design was randomized complete block, with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. The HAR was not affected by treatments in the first year, averaging 100 kg dry matter ha−1 d−1, but was greater under lenient than standard grazing (146 and 81 kg dry matter ha−1 d−1, respectively) in the second year. In both years, there were no treatment effects on TPD and TM. The use of 95% LI associated with standard defoliation increased the variability in SI. Great tiller population renewal indicated by short tiller half‐life, varying from 31 to 75 d, classifies Zuri as an exploitative cultivar. Zuri guineagrass maintained tiller SI under the grazing treatments imposed but had greater HAR under lenient grazing.

The effect of autumn closing date on over winter tissue turnover in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) swards

AbstractAutumn closing date (CD) in intensive pasture‐based systems influences spring herbage availability. Little is known about the impact of earlier closing of swards in autumn on sward structure. A two‐year experiment was undertaken to investigate the impact of five CD on herbage production, leaf extension rate (LER), leaf senescence rates (LSR), sward free leaf lamina (FLL) content and the production and survival of tillers over winter and into spring. The five CD ranges were October 1–15 (CD1), October 16–30 (CD2), October 31––November 14 (CD3), November 15–29 (CD4), November 30–December 14 (CD5) and sward measurements were made on four measurement dates (MD): December 11 (MD1), January 6 (MD2), January 27 (MD3) and prior to spring defoliation (MD4). Thirty perennial ryegrass tillers were measured until the first defoliation in spring (average 1 March). Herbage mass was greatest in early CD and tillers had greater LER and LSR (4.6 and 4.5 mm tiller−1 day−1 respectively) compared to swards with a later CD (3.2 and 2.3 mm tiller−1 day−1 respectively). Early CD had greater parent and daughter tiller mortality than later CD (parent tiller mortality 1.1 and 0.3 ± 0.19 tillers; daughter tiller mortality 1.1 and 0.3 ± 0.27 tillers respectively). Early CD also had greater LER and LSR in daughter tillers (2.6 and 1.5 mm tiller−1 day−1, respectively) compared to late (1.5 and 0.5 mm tiller−1 day−1, respectively). Earlier closing of sward increased herbage mass in spring, however, there were negative implications, such as increased LSR and tiller mortality.

Sulfur supply effects on production and mineral nutrition of Tanzania guinea grass under barium levels in nutrient solution

High barium (Ba) availability can occur in mining and waste disposal areas and cause phytotoxicity in plants. Nutrient supply, especially the sulfur (S), supply can mitigate Ba phytotoxicity. The present study was carried out to evaluate plant growth, visual symptoms, and nutritional status of Tanzania guinea grass (Panicum maximum Jacq.) grown with combinations of S and Ba levels in the nutrient solution under greenhouse conditions for two growth periods (29 and 51 days). The treatments consisted 13 combinations between S and Ba in the nutrient solution (0.1/0.0, 1.9/0.0, 3.7/0.0 – no Ba, 1.0/2.5, 2.8/2.5 – low Ba, 0.1/5.0, 1.9/5.0, 3.7/5.0 – medium Ba, 1.0/10.0, 2.8/10.0 – high Ba, 0.1/20.0, 1.9/20.0 and 3.7/20.0 – very high Ba, mmol L−1, of S/Ba, respectively). Combinations with 0.1 mmol L−1 S decreased the shoot dry matter production in 4.3-folds compared to the higher S levels, regardless of the Ba exposure. Barium levels did not affect the shoot dry matter production in the first harvest. However, Ba exposure caused high mortality of tillers. Plants grown with Ba also showed impaired leaf area production, even with above 1.9 mmol L−1 S. The combinations with high S and Ba levels resulted in a decrease of 1.7-fold in leaf area compared to combinations with high S without Ba. Combinations with higher S and Ba levels enhanced the accumulations of these elements, mainly in culms plus sheathes and roots. The results suggest that high S levels can alleviate the Ba stress through the precipitation of this element in roots, probably by barium sulfate formation.

Grazing strategies for resilience of ryegrass (

Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) is a widely sown pasture species in temperate regions. Under heat and moisture-deficit stress, its production is suppressed and tiller mortality increases, particularly when plants are simultaneously exposed to other stresses such as intense defoliation. We investigated the effects of extended grazing exclusion periods in spring and summer on herbage and soils of rotationally grazed, perennial ryegrass-dominant pastures at a summer-wet site and a summer-dry site in sheep and beef hill country in New Zealand. Treatments comprised ‘grazed’ (conventional rotational grazing), ‘early opening’ (grazing exclusion from mid-spring to mid-summer to allow perennial ryegrass to flower), and ‘deferred grazing’ (grazing exclusion from mid-spring to late summer to allow perennial ryegrass to flower and set seed). At both sites, deferred grazing increased perennial ryegrass tiller density and total vegetation cover, and reduced the abundance of broadleaf species and Pseudopithomyces chartarum spores for up to 15 months after exclusion compared with the grazed control. Herbage production was reduced during the deferred period but there was a growth surge thereafter so that herbage production over the study period was similar in the deferred and grazed treatments. Pasture nutritive values were lower in the deferred than the grazed treatment during the exclusion period but were similar in all treatments by the end of the following winter. In the autumn after deferring, seedlings contributed ~50% of the perennial ryegrass tillers present at the summer-dry site but only ~10% at the summer-wet site, where regrowth tillering of existing plants contributed a high proportion of the perennial ryegrass tillers present. Overall, early opening had few effects on the pasture, whereas deferred grazing had numerous positive effects on the pasture but only short-term effects on soil quality.

Can crop management reduce the negative effects of warm nights on wheat yield?

Abstract In wheat, warmer nights during the critical period reduce grain yield due to a diminished grain number per unit area, associated with lower spike number. Previous studies have evaluated the impact of increased night temperatures, but only under potential growing conditions. The aims of this study were to: (i) evaluate the impact of warmer nights during the critical period (i.e. from third detectable node to 10 days after anthesis) on grain yield and its numerical components, under contrasting nitrogen (N) and water levels and (ii) determine whether plant density could be useful as a management strategy to reduce yield losses caused by warmer nights. Two sets of experiments were conducted in Buenos Aires, the first in 2015 and 2016. In both years trials were carried out combining (i) two levels of nitrogen availability (60 and 200 kg N ha−1), (ii) two levels of water availability (rainfed and irrigated) and (iii) two conditions of night temperature (increased night temperature from third visible node to 10 days after anthesis and unheated crops during the whole crop cycle). The second experiment was performed in 2017 and combined: (i) three plant densities (ca. 100, ca. 150 and 300 plants m−2) and (ii) two-night temperature regimes (increased night temperature from third visible node to 10 days after anthesis and unheated crops during the whole crop cycle). Night temperatures were increased by heating systems, during the critical period average night temperatures ranged from 10.7 °C to 15.1 °C. Yield losses occurred when plants were exposed to warmer nights at high nitrogen levels (ca. 7% - i.e. 550 g m−2 - loss per °C of increase) but no effects were apparent under lower nitrogen availability. Warmer nights increased tiller mortality only under high nitrogen availability. No conclusions could be reached concerning water supply management or the convenience of this strategy to reduce the impact of warmer nights due to the lack of response of grain yield or grain number to modifications in water availability. Grain yield was significantly reduced by increases in night temperature only under higher nitrogen supply mostly due to a reduction in grain number per unit area, associated with reductions in spike dry weight; however, crops under high nitrogen levels yielded significantly more than those grown under low nitrogen, even when exposed to warmer nights. For all three densities, warmer nights reduced grain yield similarly (on average ca. 15 %).

Post-Anthesis Water-stressed Barley Maintains Grain Specific Weight Through Altered Grain Composition and Plant Architecture.

Specific weight (SW) is a long-established measure used as a malting quality specification in barley, with an increased SW thought to result in a higher malt output. Specific weight is a product of individual grain density as determined by grain composition and structure, and grain packing efficiency in a container as determined by grain dimensions. We investigated the effect of moderate but prolonged post-anthesis water stress on barley plant and grain development using pots of cultivars with a known range of SWs to explore how altering plant growth influence SW. Water stress was expected to influence these grain characteristics through decreased photosynthetic capacity. We demonstrated that SW was maintained under water stress conditions through compensatory mechanisms such as increased tiller mortality which preserved grain physical parameters on the main shoots. However, water stress significantly affected plant development by reducing not only ear number and yield, but also grain filling duration, plant biomass and ear length. Grain composition was also altered, with water-stressed plants having reduced carbon:nitrogen. Therefore, although SW can be conserved under water-stressed conditions, grain composition and plant development are altered, producing smaller harvests with higher grain nitrogen content. This would result in bulks of malting barley having different malt outputs despite having the same SW.

Effects of supplemental irrigation at the jointing stage on population dynamics, grain yield, and water-use efficiency of two different spike-type wheat cultivars.

To solve the problems of yield reduction and low water-use efficiency (WUE) of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) caused by winter and spring drought, a 2-year field experiment (2017-2019) was performed under movable shelter conditions with the large- and multispike cultivars Shannong 23 and 29, respectively, to explore the optimal supplemental irrigation regime. Three wetting layers were used for irrigation at the jointing stage: 0-10 cm (T2), 0-20 cm (T3) and 0-30 cm (T4). No irrigation at the jointing stage (T1) served as the control. Within a given cultivar, the soil water content in the 0-80 cm soil layers increased after irrigation, and the rate of tiller mortality decreased with increasing depth of the wetting layer used for irrigation at jointing. No significant differences were found between the T3 and T4 treatments in the photosynthetic rate (Pn) of the apical leaf of the main stem (O), the first primary tiller (I) and the fourth tiller (IV) after jointing. However, compared with the T3 treatment, the T4 treatment had a significantly higher transpiration rate (Tr) and lower instantaneous water-use efficiency (WUEleaf) of the apical leaf of the O and tillers I and IV. This eventually led to a decreasing WUE, although there was no significant change in the spike number or grain yield. These results indicated that moderate irrigation at jointing can effectively reduce the tiller mortality, improve the leaf Pn of the tillers, and increase the spike number and grain yield. However, excessive irrigation can significantly increase the leaf Tr of the tillers, lead to inefficient water consumption and significantly reduce the WUEleaf of the tillers and the WUE. Irrigation at the jointing stage brought the soil water content in the 0-20 cm profile to 100% of field capacity, making it the most suitable supplemental irrigation regime for both the large- and multispike cultivars in the North China Plain.

Tillering and characterisation of tillers on marandu palisadegrass deferred and fertilised with nitrogen

Evaluations of tillering dynamics and characteristics of the individual tillers allow the changes that occur in the growth and structure of the deferred and nitrogen (N) fertilised pasture to be understood. This work was carried out to evaluate the tillering and morphological characteristics of basal tillers in deferred canopies of Brachiaria brizantha syn. Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu (marandu palisadegrass) submitted to two N doses (50 and 200 kg ha-1). The evaluations were carried out at the beginning, middle and end of the deferment period. The experimental design was completely randomised in split-plot design with four replications. Tiller appearance rate (TAR) was higher at the beginning than in the middle and at the end of the deferment period, contrary to that observed for the number and weight of the tiller. Tiller mortality rate (TMR) was higher at the end than at the beginning and in the middle of the deferment period. The tiller population stability index (SI) was similar at the beginning and middle, but lower at the end of the deferment period. The leaf area of the tiller was higher in the middle compared to at the beginning and end of deferment. N dose did not influence TAR, TMR and SI. The canopy fertilised with 200 kg ha-1 of N presented a higher number and weight of tiller compared to the canopy fertilised with 50 kg ha-1 of N. The N increases the number and weight of tillers, but does not change tillering dynamics during the deferment period for marandu palisadegrass. The tillering decreases and the morphological composition of the tiller worsens with the increase in the deferment period in marandu palisadegrass.

Identifying causes of low persistence of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) dairy pasture using the Basic Grassland model (BASGRA)

AbstractRecent years have seen a decline in herbage production and tiller populations in New Zealand's perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) dairy pastures. One hypothesis is that modern genotypes are less suited to the warmer, drier weather experienced under changing climate patterns. In this study, a combination of long‐term trial data (2011–2017) and a process‐based pasture model (BASGRA) was used to explore the causes and possible mitigation of the observed production and population loss at three sites (dryland sites in Northland and Waikato and an irrigated site in Canterbury). Bayesian calibration was used to identify the model parameter sets that were consistent with the trial data and to identify differences in plant morphology and responses between sites. The model successfully simulated the observed differences in tiller numbers between the dryland sites, where populations and production declined rapidly after the second year and the irrigated site where populations and production were maintained. Analysis of the model calibrations along with preliminary scenario simulations suggests that increased tiller mortality associated with drought was the main cause of persistence failure at the dryland sites and that decreasing grazing pressure or breeding for tolerance to higher temperatures may not be successful in preventing this.

Potassium affects the phytoextraction potential of Tanzania guinea grass under cadmium stress.

The supply of potassium (K) is a strategy to increase the tolerance of plants exposed to Cd toxicity. The aim of this study was to verify the influence of K on the growth and potential of Tanzania guinea grass (Panicum maximum Jacq. cv. Tanzania (syn. Megathyrsus maximus (Jacq.) B.K. Simon & S.W.L. Jacobs)) for Cd phytoextraction as well as to evaluate nutritional attributes of this grass under conditions of Cd stress. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design, using a 3 × 4 factorial arrangement, with three replications. Three rates of K (0.4, 6.0, and 11.6 mmol L-1) were combined with four rates of Cd (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mmol L-1) in nutrient solution. Two plant growth periods were evaluated. The increase in K supply to plants exposed to Cd rates of up to 1.0 mmol L-1 caused increase in morphogenic and production attributes, as well as reduction in tiller mortality rate, in the second growth period. K concentrations (in both harvests) increased, while calcium and magnesium concentrations in the second harvest decreased with increasing Cd rates. The high availability of Cd (1.5 mmol L-1) in the nutrient solution caused decrease in relative chlorophyll index (RCI) in both harvests. The high supply of K to plants exposed to Cd resulted in high shoot dry mass production, reducing Cd concentration in the photosynthetic tissues (which means great tolerance of the plant) and increasing the accumulation of this metal in the shoots that can be harvested. Therefore, K increases the Cd phytoextraction capacity of Tanzania guinea grass.

Architectural Response of Wheat Cultivars to Row Spacing Reveals Altered Perception of Plant Density.

Achieving novel improvements in crop management may require changing interrow distance in cultivated fields. Such changes would benefit from a better understanding of plant responses to the spatial heterogeneity in their environment. Our work investigates the architectural plasticity of wheat plants in response to increasing row spacing and evaluates the hypothesis of a foraging behavior in response to neighboring plants. A field experiment was conducted with five commercial winter wheat cultivars possessing unique architectures, grown under narrow (NI, 17.5 cm) or wide interrows (WI, 35 cm) at the same population density (170 seeds/m2). We characterized the development (leaf emergence, tillering), the morphology (dimension of organs, leaf area index), and the geometry (ground cover, leaf angle, organ spreading, and orientation). All cultivars showed a lower number of emerged tillers in WI compared to NI, which was later partly compensated by lower tiller mortality. Besides, the upper leaf blades were larger in WI. Finally the leaf area index at flowering showed little difference between WI and NI treatments. The rate of leaf emergence and the final leaf number were higher in WI compared to NI, except for one cultivar. Around the start of stem elongation, pseudo-stems were more erect in WI, while around the time of flowering, stems were more inclined and leaves were more planophile. Cultivars differed in their degrees of responses, with one appearing to prospect more specifically within the interrow space in WI treatment. Altogether, our results suggest that altering interrow distance leads to changes in the perceived extent of competition by plants, with responses first mimicking the effect of a higher plant density and later the effect of a lower plant density. Only one cultivar showed responses that suggested a perception of the heterogeneity of the environment. These findings improve our understanding of plant responses to spatial heterogeneity and provide novel information to simulate light capture in plant 3D models, depending on cultivar behavior.

Morphogenesis and forage accumulation of Urochloa ruziziensis under nitrogen and potassium fertilization management

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of nitrogen and potassium fertilization on the morphogenetic and structural characteristics and production of Urochloa ruziziensis in two summer seasons (summer 1, 2010–2011and summer 2, 2011–2012) and the autumn and spring of 2011. A randomized complete block design with four treatments (0, 120, 240, and 360 kg ha-1 year-1 of N and K2O) and five replications was used, with repeated measurements in each season, in a split plot arrangement. The treatments were allocated to the plots and the seasons of the year to the subplots. The phyllochron (PHY),leaf appearance rate (LAR), leaf elongation rate (LER), stem elongation rate (SER), tiller population density (TPD), tiller appearance rate (TAR), tiller mortality rate (TMR), leaf growth rate (LGR), stem growth rate (SGR), senescence rate (SR), forage accumulation rate (FAR), and leaf accumulation rate (LAR) of Urochloa ruziziensis were evaluated. There was a positive quadratic effect for the PHY and ELR, with maximum values of 4.3 days leaf-1 and 0.43 cm tiller-1 day-1, respectively. While the SER increased linearly (0.0012 cm day-1 kg-1 of N and K2O) during summer 2. The TPD, TAR, and TMR increased linearly (averages of 1.53 tillers m-2, 0.04% and 0.02% per kg of N and K2O, respectively) with nitrogen and potassium fertilization during spring and both summer seasons. The LGR, SGR, and SR also increased linearly with N and K2O application rates during summer 2 (0.2809, 0.0082, and 0.0411 kg DM ha-1 day-1, per kg of N and K2O, respectively), while the FAR and LAR increased in a quadratic positive form (maximum values of 175 and 129 kg dry matter (DM) ha-1, corresponding to 294 and 237 kg ha-1 of N and K2O, respectively) during summer 2. Urochloa ruziziensis is a forage plant with a high DM production capacity during the summer and a high seasonal forage production.

Source-sink relationships during early crop development influence earliness of sugar accumulation in sugarcane.

In subtropical environments where sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) crops are frequently limited by the duration of the growth cycle, earliness in maturity is a key genotypic trait. Using the concept of source-sink relationships, we hypothesised that earliness is controlled by the dynamics of tillering (DT), which define sink strength early in the growth cycle. Five modern commercial sugarcane genotypes with similar sucrose yields and varying degrees of earliness in ripening were grown in the field over three years and their DT, dynamics of sucrose accumulation (DS), and source-sink relationships over time were characterised. Canonical correlations and principal components analysis revealed that DT explained 68% of the total variance in DS. Early ripening genotypes exhibited the shortest thermal time to the end of tiller mortality (θTilmort), the lowest tiller survival and millable tiller number, and greatest sugar content at θTilmort (Sconc,Tilmort). The rate and duration of the sucrose accumulation phase did not explain the genotypic variation either in final sugar content or in earliness when considered in isolation without taking into account the effect of Sconc,Tilmort. In the set of genotypes examined, the variation in final sucrose yield was most explained by the variation in stalk number. We conclude that the dynamics of tiller appearance and senescence modified the early source-sink relationships and thus determined the differential sucrose contents around θTilmort and the earliness of maximal sugar accumulation. θTilmort, which was closely associated with the 14-leaf phenological stage, emerged as a candidate trait to screen for genotypic variation in early ripening, crop cycle duration, and yield.