Variability in habit, flowering and seed production within the Kangaroo Valley cultivar of Lolium perenne when grown in a range of environments

1990 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 901 ◽  
Author(s):  
SG Shah ◽  
CJ Pearson ◽  
JW Read

Diversity of flowering and seed production characteristics were measured within and between seven populations of Kangaroo Valley perennial ryegrass. The hypothesis that these characteristics would not change when grown in diverse environments was tested. The average time from seedling emergence to spike emergence was similar for each of three biotypes that represented early, intermediate and late flowering populations. This occurred in spite of variation in this character of 54 to 72 days between plants within each of these biotypes. When data from all seven populations were combined, they formed a normal distribution with respect to time of flowering. Distinctive components of seed production were found for the different populations. Early flowering populations had higher seed yields and more but shorter spikes than late flowering populations. Wide variation in habit occurred within populations but there was a high correlation between erect habit and early flowering. Spikes of erect plants emerged 27 days earlier than prostrate plants. The seed formation characteristics of an early flowering population were unaltered when grown for three generations in diverse environments. The spike emergence and anthesis times for each of the seven populations were not changed when grown in new environments. We conclude that seed production of Kangaroo Valley ryegrass in environments similar to those described in these experiments will not significantly alter the population characteristic. For changes in the character of the population to occur, the new environment would have to be so severe to (a) restrict growth and select out a proportion of the progeny or (b) cause a change in the time of seed harvest.

2003 ◽  
Vol 83 (1) ◽  
pp. 189-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. E. May ◽  
H. A. Loeppky ◽  
D. C. Murrell ◽  
C. D. Myhre ◽  
J. J. Soroka

Preharvest applications of glyphosate have been shown to be effective in controlling Canada thistle in annual crops, but may reduce alfalfa seed yield depending on time and rate of application. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of preharvest applications of glyphosate on subsequent alfalfa seed yield and quality. The effects of timing, 1, 26, 51 and 76% alfalfa seed pod maturity, and rate, 0, 440, 880, 1320, and 1760 g a.i. ha-1, of a preharvest application of glyphosate on alfalfa seed yield and quality in the year of application, and regrowth and seed yield in the following year were determined. The rate of glyphosate applied did not affect seed yield in the application year; however, in the following year, growth and seed yield were reduced as rates increased. Delaying the application of glyphosate increased seed yields in the application year, but decreased alfalfa regrowth and flowering the following year. Germination and seedling emergence were not affected by the rate or timing of the glyphosate. A preharvest application of glyphosate at 1760 g a.i. ha-1 at 76% pod maturity is a viable option in the last year of seed production. Key words: Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), glyphosate, abnormal seeds, seed quality, and seedling vigour


1967 ◽  
Vol 7 (24) ◽  
pp. 25 ◽  
Author(s):  
GB Taylor ◽  
RC Rossiter

Seed production and persistence of the Carnamah, Northam A, Dwalganup, and Geraldton strains of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) were examined in undefoliated swards in the wheatbelt of Western Australia. The early flowering characteristic of Carnamah was not always associated with higher seed yields. Only when there was a well-defined, early finish to the growing season, or when flowering was very much earlier in Carnamah (viz., following an early 'break' to the season), did this strain clearly outyield both Northam A and Geraldton. The seed yield of Dwalganup was generally inferior to that of the other strains. Factors affecting regeneration are discussed. Under low rainfall conditions, poorer germination-regulation of Carnamah, compared with Geraldton and Northam A, would be expected to result in poorer persistence unless offset by higher seed yields in the Carnamah strain.


1990 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 515 ◽  
Author(s):  
KA Archer

The effect of length of the flowering period on seed production characteristics of 3 cultivars of subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum L.) was determined by varying the period of watering postflowering. The subterranean clover cvv. Nungarin, Seaton Park and Woogenellup were grown in polystyrene boxes and given 1 of 4 watering treatments: continuous (WC); until approximately 34 days after flowering commenced (WE); until Nungarin finished flowering (WN); as for WE but with watering recommenced after plants became wilted (WEL). Plants were either undefoliated or were repeatedly defoliated during flowering. Flowering in all 3 cultivars was terminated early and seed yields were reduced by WE (e.g. WC v. WE for Seaton Park, 1620 � 61 v. 320 � 61 kg/ha), but each of the cultivars was able to produce appreciable numbers of viable seed on the WE treatment, ranging from 406 � 95 seeds/dm2 for Woogenellup to 791 � 95 seeds/dm2 for Seaton Park. WEL increased seed size in all cultivars by approximately 50%, and increased seed numbers in Seaton Park to 1083 � 106 seeds/dm2. Nungarin produced most seeds on the WN treatment (1232 � 104 seeds/dm2), but approximately half of these were lost if the soil was kept moist during seed maturation. In comparison, little loss of seed was detected from Seaton Park and Woogenellup under continuous watering, possibly due to differences between cultivars ii seed dormancy and periods of exposure of maturing seeds to moisture. The development of initial hard seeds in Nungarin and undefoliated Seaton Park was adversely affected by continuous moisture. Repeated defoliation during flowering reduced seed yields in all cultivars (e.g. UD v. D for Seaton Park, 1130 � 44 v. 310 � 46 kg/ha), due to decreases in both seed numbers and size. The results indicate that choice of maturity of subterranean clover cultivars for areas with unreliable spring rainfall is not necessarily restricted to those early maturing cultivars which will always finish flowering prior to moisture restrictions.


1983 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 271 ◽  
Author(s):  
PJ Argel ◽  
LR Humphreys

The effects of variation in moisture supply and of level of illuminance during seed formation on the development of hardseededness and on the seed production of Stylosanthes hamata cv. Verano were studied in two glasshouse experiments. Verano plants were grown in pots containing 1.6 kg soil and were watered daily to field capacity until early flowering (43 days after seedling emergence). From day 43 to day 116, the plants were watered every 1, 2, 3 or 4 days. Leaf water potential immediately before rewatering varied from c. -20 to -28 bars in the 4-day treatment. Yields of seed pods were 5.8, 4.6, 3.8 and 3.8 g in the I-, 2-, 3- and 4-day treatments respectively. Severe water stress greatly reduced inflorescence density, had lesser negative effects on frequency of blooming, floret number, seed setting and proportion of florets forming a lower (beakless) articulation, and increased individual pod weight. Watering treatment had transitory and inconsistent effects on hardseededness. Seed production of Verano plants grown after flowering under shades with 30,40 or 59 % transmission or no shade was reduced by low level of illuminance, mainly because of effects on floret number per inflorescence; the proportion of florets forming a lower articulation and individual pod weight (but not seed setting) was also reduced by shading. The seed moisture content at different harvest occasions appeared to influence hardseededness, but shading had no consistent effect.


1987 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert C. Hare

Abstract A single foliar spray with either antiethylene compounds or cytokinins shortly after anthesis reduced conelet abortion by half and doubled seed production. Spraying with boric acid plus Cytex® , a relatively economical form of cytokinin derived from seaweed, was equally effective,and addition of certain antiethylene compounds further improved seed yield. South. J. Appl. For. 11(1):6-9.


Weed Science ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin C. Hill ◽  
Karen A. Renner ◽  
Christy L. Sprague

Winter annual weeds protect the soil from erosion and retain nutrients during the winter; however, they can also act as a host for crop pests and pathogens and impede planting. Increased knowledge of the reproductive biology and the seed fate of winter annuals would be useful to improve management and crop productivity. The objectives of this research were to determine the recruitment biology of shepherd's-purse, henbit, common chickweed, and field pennycress, including seed production, dispersal, dormancy, and seedling emergence, based on growing degree days (GDD). Henbit was the least prolific of the four weeds studied, producing 800 to 40,000 seeds m−2at naturally occurring densities; shepherd's-purse was the most prolific, producing 11,000 to 400,000 seeds m−2with 40 to 230 plants m−2. Fifty percent seed rain occurred for henbit, common chickweed, shepherd's-purse, and field pennycress at 620, 790, 880, and 1300 GDDBase,0C, respectively. Overall, seeds were dormant for all species at the time of dispersal. In 2 of 3 yr, dormancy of later-dispersed common chickweed decreased after 6 mo of storage at natural, fluctuating temperatures in the absence of water. The emergence patterns of the four species followed the Gompertz equation and were indicative of facultative winter annuals. The emergence patterns by rate were similar between henbit and common chickweed and between shepherd's-purse and field pennycress. Seed production, dispersal, dormancy, and seedling emergence were influenced by moisture; therefore, including a precipitation or soil moisture component into a GDD model (such as the use of hydrothermal time) would improve the accuracy of predicting winter annual reproduction, seed fate, and emergence.


1986 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 59 ◽  
Author(s):  
MDA Bolland ◽  
WJ Collins

On sandy soil near Esperance, W.A., prevention of burr burial compared with covering developing burrs with sand drastically reduced the seed production of three subspp. of Trifolium subterraneum (brachycalycinum, subterraneum and yanninicum) and of T. israeliticum by reducing burr production and seed weight. However, T. globosum produced similar amounts of seed from unburied and buried burrs. On sandy soil at Shenton Park, Perth, W.A., prevention of burr burial also reduced seed production of T. subterraneum subspp. brachycalycinum and subterraneum, this being due to fewer burrs, fewer seeds per burr and lighter seed. For subsp. brachycalycinum, seed yields were two to five times greater from burrs which developed within loose gravel than from those developed over sand (in which fewer burrs were able to bury) as a result of increased production of burrs, more seeds per burr and heavier seed. However, for subsp. subterraneum seed yields were similar from burrs whether developed over gravel or sand.


1993 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 299 ◽  
Author(s):  
GM Lodge

Plots sown in 1983 were used to examine the seed production and reserves (residual hardseeds) of 15 annual legumes over 5 years at Tamworth in northern New South Wales. Seed production characteristics were measured in 1983 for these annuals, and for 6 perennial legumes. After the annuals had set seed in 1983, an area of the plots was sprayed to prevent flowering in subsequent years, and the rates of decline in seed reserves were compared with those from areas that seeded annually. Seed yields of the perennials were often significantly lower than those of the annuals except Trifolium glomeratum. Seed yields of T. subterraneum var. subterraneum cvv. Seaton Park and Woogenellup were significantly higher than those of cv. Nungarin and T. subterrarzeum var. brachycalycinum cv. Clare. Seed numbers were lowest for Medicago scutellata cv. Sava among the annual medics, and for Nungarin among subterranean clovers. There was little relationship between the mean number of seeds produced from 1983-86 and maturity grading, and between seed numbers and relative dry matter yield. Seed reserves decreased over 5 years by more than 90% in the sprayed treatments of all species. This decrease was not continuous, with the largest declines occurring from December 1983 to August 1984. In the sprayed treatments of Seaton Park, Woogenellup, and Clare, and in both treatments of Astragalus hamosus cv. Ioman, Vicia dasycarpa var. villosa cv. Namoi, and T. hirtum cv. Hykon, none of the original 1983 seed was recovered in 1987. For the annual medics and Nungarin, the number of residual hardseeds in the sprayed treatments in 1987 was about 3-5% of the seed produced in 1983. From 1983 to 1987, seed numbers in the unsprayed treatments declined by 7040% for the annual medics and by 85-95% for Seaton Park, Woogenellup, and Clare. Long-term persistence of annual medics and Nungarin depended on seed production in most years and the maintenance of a high number of residual hardseeds in the soil. In contrast, the mid- and late-maturing subterranean clovers Woogenellup and Clare had low seed reserves and were dependent on seed production in most years for their continued regeneration.


2008 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 736-740 ◽  
Author(s):  
Randy L. Anderson

This study measured impact of cool-season crops on seedling emergence, survival, and seed production of weeds common in corn and soybean. Weed dynamics were monitored in permanently marked quadrats in winter wheat, spring wheat, and canola. Three species, green foxtail, yellow foxtail, and common lambsquarters, comprised more than 80% of the weeds observed in the study. Seedling emergence was reduced by winter wheat, but not by spring wheat or canola, when compared with adjacent quadrats without a crop canopy. Approximately 10% of seedlings in spring wheat and canola developed into seed-bearing plants, but no seed-bearing plants were present in winter wheat at harvest. Common lambsquarters produced more than 1,100 seeds/plant, whereas a foxtail plant produced 85 seeds, averaged across spring wheat and canola. At harvest, new seedlings were present in all crops; thus, control after harvest will be required to prevent seed production in the fall. Winter wheat may provide an opportunity to disrupt population dynamics of weeds common in corn and soybean without requiring herbicides.


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