Summer dormancy, regeneration and persistence of perennial grasses in south-western Australia

1977 ◽  
Vol 17 (88) ◽  
pp. 795 ◽  
Author(s):  
EF Biddiscombe ◽  
AL Rogers ◽  
RA Maller
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Internal Drainage ◽  
Plant Mortality ◽  
Podzolic Soils ◽  
Summer Dormancy ◽  
Better Than

Autumn growth and persistence of periodically grazed, spaced plant swards of eleven perennial grasses were measured at two sites registering 750 mm and 1120 mm annual rainfall respectively. The grasses were grown on gravelly podzolic soils of moderate internal drainage and depth of A horizon. After the third summer, autumn regrowth was generally better in Phalaris tuberosa lines than in lines of Dactylis glomerata, Festuca arundinacea and Lolium perenne, Festuca arundinacea cv. Melik and D. glomerata cv. Currie regenerated better than P. tuberosa lines in the first two autumn seasons at the drier site. Capacity for autumn growth appeared to be associated mainly with the level of dormancy achieved by basal buds at mid-summer, though relatively high dormancy of one or two lines at the drier site did not prevent significant plant mortality. Numbers of reproductive tillers per plant in spring and active basal buds per tiller in late summer were less important traits affecting the growth of some lines. We think that rankings for summer dormancy would be useful for screening future introductions for wetter parts (> 750 mm annual rainfall) of the south-western region of Western Australia.

Yield and persistence of selected perennial grasses in south-western Australia

1976 ◽  
Vol 16 (81) ◽  
pp. 522 ◽  
Author(s):  
AL Rogers ◽  
DA Nicholas ◽  
RA Maller ◽  
GW Arnold
Keyword(s):  
Lolium Perenne ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Plant Density ◽  
Total Yield ◽  
Dactylis Glomerata ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Plant Yield ◽  
Gravelly Soils

Nine lines of Dactylis glomerata, five of Phalaris tuberosa, two of Festuca arundinacea, and two of Lolium perenne were compared over a three year period for survival and seasonal yield on two sites on lateritic gravelly soils in south-western Australia. On plots sown broadcast at two seeding rates and grazed periodically, yield and density were measured. On other plots that were drill sown and grazed either continuously or rotationally, density only was measured. In the broadcast plots, there was no interaction between seeding rates and plant yield or plant density. There were significant differences in yield of sown grass between lines in all years, but in total yield (i.e. sown grass plus volunteer annuals) at one site only. Significant differences in density between lines were recorded in all plots. At one site final plant density was similar in the broadcast and drill sown plots, whereas at the second site there were large differences between the broadcast and drilled plots. On a survival and yield basis the best lines of each were D. glomerate cv. Currie, P. tuberosa cv. Australian, F. arundinacea CPI 15301, and L. perenne CPI 15914. F. arundinacea gave outstanding winter yields.

Measurement of summer dormancy in temperate perennial pasture grasses

2008 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 498 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. R. Norton ◽  
F. Lelièvre ◽  
S. Fukai ◽  
F. Volaire
Keyword(s):  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Leaf Growth ◽  
Visual Assessment ◽  
Field Trials ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Experimental Program ◽  
Drought Assessment ◽  
Summer Dormancy ◽  
Herbage Yield ◽  
Summer Storm

The search to improve drought survival in temperate perennial grasses has led to a renewed interest in summer dormancy and how to quantify it. This endogenously controlled trait, found in some temperate perennial grasses, is associated with drought that normally occurs in summer. While cessation of leaf growth and senescence of herbage occurs in all grasses in response to drought, it is under summer irrigation that these same responses are observed only in summer-dormant germplasm and hence the trait can be identified in germplasm. Across the spectrum from completely summer-dormant to non-dormant, there is a range of expression. Our objective here is to highlight differences in characteristics of indices which measure summer dormancy and to identify aspects for incorporation into a superior index for use in measuring this trait. The experimental program comprised three field trials that compared 6 cultivars and a fourth that assessed a larger group of 12 cultivars of the same three species, cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.), tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), and phalaris (Phalaris aquatica L.). Seasonal herbage yield and foliage senescence were measured under three summer watering regimes: complete drought, mid-summer storm, and full irrigation at Mauguio, France. Different indices were calculated to compare against the approach which evaluates senescence under drought. The key outcomes are as follows. (1) The assessment of summer dormancy needs to be viewed as the plant response to a period of non-limiting water supply over summer. It makes little difference whether this is produced by full summer irrigation or a mid-summer simulated storm after a drought. Assessment of this trait under conditions of unbroken drought is discouraged because it can result in false scores. (2) The determination of summer dormancy intensity under full summer irrigation is most appropriate for the intensive study of the dynamics of dormancy expression over the entire summer. A simulated mid-summer storm within a drought gives an instantaneous view of dormancy intensity at a specific observation date and may be well adapted to the requirements of plant breeding. These methods are complementary. (3) Summer dormancy intensity can be assessed either by measuring herbage production or by a visual assessment of the level of herbage senescence. (4) An index of summer dormancy based on comparing irrigated summer herbage yield of any cultivar with that of a high, summer-yielding, non-dormant control cultivar was able to provide a reliable score of dormancy intensity. This index functions across a range of cultivars and species of perennial grasses. Further refinement of the index is needed to identify ‘standard’ high and low summer-dormant populations.

scholarly journals Production and persistence of temperate perennial grasses and legumes at five saline sites in southern Australia

2008 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 536 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. G. H. Nichols ◽  
M. E. Rogers ◽  
A. D. Craig ◽  
T. O. Albertsen ◽  
S. M. Miller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
South Australia ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Genotypic Differences ◽  
Tall Wheatgrass ◽  
Legume Plant ◽  
Second Year ◽  
A Site ◽  
Perennial Legumes

Herbage production and persistence of 24 perennial legumes from 20 species and 19 perennial grasses from 10 species were measured at five sites across southern Australia that differed in annual rainfall and extent of salinity and waterlogging. At Cranbrook, Western Australia, a site with occasional waterlogging and a summer salinity [estimated by electrical conductivity (ECe)] of 6.9 dS/m in the surface 10 cm of soil, strawberry clover (Trifolium fragiferum L.) and Lotus uligonosis Schkuhr produced 2.7 t/ha in the second year and had the highest legume plant frequencies in year 3, while herbage production of L. tenuis Waldst. & Kit. ex Willd. and L. corniculatus L. was not significantly lower. No grasses produced more than 0.3 t/ha in the second year, but tall wheatgrass (Thinopyrum ponticum (Podp.) Z.-W. Liu & R.-C. Wang) was the most persistent. At Girgarre, Victoria, another site with occasional waterlogging and a summer ECe of 8.0 dS/m, phalaris (Phalaris aquatica L.) produced 8.5 t/ha in the second year, while production of tall wheatgrass and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) was not significantly lower. Sulla (Hedysarum coronarium L.) was the only legume that produced more than 1 t/ha. Phalaris, tall wheatgrass and sulla had the highest densities in the third year. At Duranillin (Western Australia) and Keith (South Australia), which both experienced extensive winter waterlogging and had summer ECe >30 dS/m, puccinellia (Puccinellia ciliata Bor) and tall wheatgrass were the only grass or legume species that persisted beyond the first summer. Puccinellia was the only species to produce useful quantities of herbage (1.0 t/ha) in year 3 at Duranillin. No perennial grasses or legumes produced more than 0.35 t/ha in either year 2 or year 3 at Tammin, Western Australia, the lowest rainfall site (330 mm mean annual rainfall) with summer ECe of 10.9 dS/m. Genotypic differences within sites were indicated for several species, suggesting opportunities to develop cultivars better adapted to saline soils

Effect of soil properties on the yield and persistence of Mediterranean perennial grasses in southern Western Australia

1983 ◽  
Vol 23 (123) ◽  
pp. 399
Author(s):  
EF Biddiscombe ◽  
AL Rogers ◽  
GW Anderson ◽  
ES DeBoer
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Western Australia ◽  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Podzolic Soil ◽  
Soil Analysis ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Soil Types ◽  
Regression Equations ◽  
Gravel Content ◽  
Red Earth

The effect of ten soil types on yield and survival of three perennial grasses, each mixed with volunteer annual species, was studied for three years under periodic grazing. Yields of cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata cv. Currie), phalaris (Phalaris aquatica cv. Australian) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea cv. Melik) were higher on a gravelly yellow podzolic soil than on other types; phalaris also yielded well on a red podzolic soil. Analysis by multiple linear regression showed that the yield of all sown grasses was high when perched water of the A and upper B horizons was recorded early in winter and sustained until late spring. High gravel content in the A horizon improved cocksfoot and fescue yield and depressed that of phalaris. The high gravel content was associated with increased gravel and decreased water retention of the top of the B horizon at 15 bars. Higher texture classes in the A horizon tended to depress yields of cocksfoot and fescue with no apparent effect on phalaris. The higher texture classes of the clay and clay loam soils tended to decrease general root penetrations. Cocksfoot and phalaris were more productive on shallow than on deep A horizon soils, but fescue yield was not affected by this soil property. Yields of the species can be estimated accurately from regression equations based on three or four soil properties. The results suggest options for selecting perennial grasses suitable for specific soil types among the red earth and red and yellow podzolic groups in the South Western Region of Western Australia. The central problem is that cocksfoot, phalaris and fescue can yield well but do not do so on all soil types.

Fraydo tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea L.)

2004 ◽  
Vol 44 (9) ◽  
pp. 955 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. F. M. Reed ◽  
C. K. Lee ◽  
M. Z. Z. Jahufer ◽  
M. W. Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Tall Fescue ◽  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Growth Habit ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Spike Length ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Summer Dormancy ◽  
Long Stem ◽  
Western Victoria

Fraydo, a 10-parent synthetic cultivar based on selection from Melik tall fescue is a most productive, highly winter-active cultivar that exhibits little summer activity. Its summer dormancy is associated with persistence over long hot summers. It has an erect growth habit with a long stem and short spike length relative to other cultivars. Maturity, as reflected by date of head emergence, is similar to that for Demeter. Fraydo is well adapted to the environment of south-western Victoria where the original parental selections were made. Fraydo is especially productive in the 7–8 month growing season/550–700 mm annual rainfall districts. Evidence is emerging that it is highly palatable to sheep and well adapted to a wide range of environments in temperate Australia.

Autecology of some natural pasture species at Trangie, N.S.W.

1954 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 69 ◽  
Author(s):  
EF Biddiscombe ◽  
EG Cuthbertson ◽  
RJ Hutchings
Keyword(s):  
Seedling Survival ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Forage Production ◽  
Natural Pasture ◽  
Production Pattern ◽  
June July

Features of the autecology of four native perennial grasses (Stipa, Chloris, and Digitaria spp.) and an important group of winter annual species are reported from a 5-yr study of a naturaI pasture at Trangie, N.S.W. The investigation was mainly concerned with the response of the species to changes in seasonal climatic conditions. The study period (1948–52) was relatively moist (mean annual rainfall 25.6 in.) and the growing season (May–November) longer than average. Available moisture showed considerable variation in autumn and spring, and was the primary factor in the variable success of germination and seedling survival among the perennial grasses. Plant development in the perennial grasses is discussed for three study intervals, March 1948–50 (above average rainfall), March 1950–51 (recurrent flooding over 8 months), and March 1951–52 (including a long, dry summer) ; in all pkriods striking fluctuations were noted in persistency and basal area of established plants, particularly the small plants of each species. Available moisture is advanced as the principal factor controlling seasonal distribution of green forage production by the perennial grasses, temperature becoming limiting only at midwinter (June–July). All species conformed to a similar production pattern, showing a midsummer minimum (except in January 1951), late summer and spring peaks, and a midwinter trough. Flowering and maturation periods are listed for the perennial grasses, and infrequent but heavy seed production recorded for all species. Characteristic features of the root systems are discussed in relation to drought resistance and response to effective rainfall. Germination of Medicago spp. was most frequent in May and June (1-in. soil temperature 51–61°F), but was also successful in March, April, and July. Erodium cygnorum and Hordezcm leporinum favoured late February to early May (65–75°F) for germination. Among high populations percentage seedling survival was low, even in a very favourable season. Given adequate winter moisture (as in 1948 and 1949), Medicago spp. and E. cygnorum showed virtually an exponential increase in green forage production between May and September. The level of September production of these species is shown to be correlated with moisture availability in April. The principal factors ensuring regular recurrence of the winter annuals in pastures of the Trangie environment are outlined and discussed.

Effects of Dried Distillers’ Grains Cube Supplementation for Steers Grazing Introduced Pastures on Animal Performance and Forage Production

2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 12-13
Author(s):  
Jordan Adams ◽  
Rodney Farris ◽  
Scott Clawson ◽  
Earl Ward ◽  
Paul Beck
Keyword(s):  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Statistical Power ◽  
Cynodon Dactylon ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Early Summer ◽  
Distillers Grains ◽  
Forage Production ◽  
Trenbolone Acetate ◽  
Dried Distillers Grains

Abstract We evaluated the effects of supplementing dried distillers’ grains cubes (DDGS) and re-implantation of steers (n = 149; BW = 238 ± 13.8 kg) grazing tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea)/bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) pastures (n = 9 pastures, 7.2 ± 2.90 ha) from 14 April to 17 September 2020 (n = 155 d) in a split-plot design on steer performance and forage production. Main plot supplemental treatments (n = 3 pastures/treatment) included 1) Fertilized Control (FC), no supplementation on fertilized pastures (112 kg N/ha); 2) Fertilized Supplement (FS), supplemental DDGS fed at 2.9 kg 3-d/wk on fertilized pastures; and 3) Supplement (S), supplemented DDGS at 0.75% BW/d on unfertilized pastures prorated for 5-d/wk feeding. Steers were previously implanted during receiving with 40 mg trenbolone acetate and 8 mg estradiol (REV-G; Revalor G, Merck Animal Health). On July 7, steers in each pasture were randomly assigned to one of three re-implant treatments: 1) no re-implant; 2) REV-G; or 3) 200 mg progesterone and 20 mg estradiol (Synovex S, Zoetis Animal Health). Steers in FS and S gained more (P < 0.01) than FC throughout the trial and final BW was greater (P < 0.01) for FS and S compared with FC. Unexpectedly, re-implanting had no effect on ADG (P = 0.57) or BW (P = 0.34), but statistical power may be lacking. Supplemental efficiency was greater in the late summer for FS (P = 0.05) compared to S. Fertilizing pastures in FS and FC did not affect biomass (P = 0.39), however, CP was increased (P = 0.01) and acid and neutral detergent fibers tended to decrease (P = 0.06) relative to S in the early summer (April, May, June, and July), but did not differ in late summer (August and September). Based upon our analysis, DDGS is a suitable supplement and can replace N fertilizer for steers grazing introduced pastures.

Identification and Measurement of Summer Dormancy in Temperate Perennial Grasses

Crop Science ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 49 (6) ◽  
pp. 2347-2352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark R. Norton ◽  
F. Volaire ◽  
F. Lelièvre ◽  
S. Fukai
Keyword(s):  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Summer Dormancy

Sources of valuable traits for perennial grass breeding

2021 ◽  
pp. 78-89
Author(s):  
LZ Baistruk-Hlodan ◽  
MM Кhomiak ◽  
HZ Zhapaleu
Keyword(s):  
Festuca Arundinacea ◽  
Trifolium Pratense ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Phleum Pratense ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Starting Material ◽  
Forage Production ◽  
Daily Growth ◽  
Galega Orientalis

Aim. The purpose was to identify collection accessions – sources of valuable traits to use as starting material for creating varieties of perennial grasses in Western Ukraine. Results and Discussion. Perennial grasses play an essential role in improving the efficiency of forage production. They produce a fodder mass that contains major macro- and micronutrients, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and other nutrients in available forms, with a high energy protein saturation. Practice shows that due to the introduction of varietal crops into production in combination with optimal technologies of their cultivation, which allows revealing the potential of each variety, it is possible to additionally obtain 20-30% higher yields of fodder mass annually and harvest 2 to 3-fold seed yields. In 2016-2020, a search was carried out and 570 new accessions of perennial grasses were recruited, of which 201 were legumes and 369 were graminaceous grasses. The collection contains 1,319 accessions, of which 232 are Trifolium pratense L., 115 are Trifolium repens L., 49 are Trifolium hybridum L., 107 are Lotus corniculatus L., 80 belong to other legume species (Medicago, Galega orientalis L. Galega orientalis L. and Trifolium species), 131 are Phleum pratense L., 187 are Dactylis glomerata L., 146 are Lolium perenne L., 53 are Arrhenatherum elatius (L.) J. et C.Presl., 67 are Festuca rubra L., 28 are Festuca trachyphylla L., 32 are Bromopsis inermis (Leyss.) Holub, 92 belong to other species of other types of graminaceous grasses (Festuca pratensis Huds., Festuca arundinacea Schreb., Agrostis alba L. etc.). Accessions that enter the Department are registered and sown for propagation in the field. After examination, valuable accessions are transferred to the National Depository and registered in the National Catalogue; the rest of the obtained seeds are used in working collections. Conclusions. The best collection accessions were identified by a set of economically valuable traits: sources of daily growth of shoots (30), winter hardiness (28), plant height (22), yield of green mass upon haymaking (28) and pasture (19) use, forage productivity (15), seed productivity (25), foliage (21), and disease resistance (23). They can be recommended as starting material to create varieties of perennial grasses with high yields of forage mass and seeds for various applications.

Near Infrared Spectroscopy Estimation of Feeding Value of Forage Perennial Grasses in Breeding Programmes by Global and Specific Calibrations. Estimation of Chemical Composition and Digestibility

1998 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 153-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Naydenova ◽  
P. Tomov ◽  
P. Dardenne
Keyword(s):  
Cell Wall ◽  
Chemical Composition ◽  
Predictive Models ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Standard Errors ◽  
Breeding Programmes ◽  
Feeding Value ◽  
Pre Treatment ◽  
Better Than

Near infrared (NIR) spectral analysis with a NIRSystems 6500 monochromator was applied to evaluate accuracy of predictive models for forage quality in clone breeding processes of the original Bulgarian varieties over different cuts and years. The varieties were the perennial grasses: Dactylis glomerata L., Festuca arundinacea Schreb. and Bromus inermis Leyss. Global calibrations for the 418 perennial grass samples and specific calibrations for each single grass species and internal cross-validations were performed by the PLS regression method. The effect of different spectral data pre-treatments was investigated on the residual standard errors of the NIR predictive models. Among 60 calibration equations, the model with the lowest SECV value was retained for each parameter in each database. No particular data pre-treatment was really better than the other ones. Generally, the best results of the global calibrations were obtained with SNVD and MSC. For the specific calibrations, SNVD and WMSC were the best treatments. In both cases, the first or second derivatives were needed after the first pre-treatment. Chemical composition and in vitro enzymatic digestibility of clones were predicted with accuracy similar to that of classical laboratory methods. For the cell wall component contents, the standard errors of cross-validation SECV(%DM) ranged from 0.49 for ADL ( Festuca) to 2.02 for NDF ( Dactylis). The digestibilities of dry and organic matter, IVDMD and IVOMD, were estimated with SECVs from 2.6 to 3.0%, the relative intake, from 0.06 to 0.09 rel% body weight and the relative feeding value, from 4.39 to 5.64 rel%. The global calibration models offer an acceptable accuracy for the estimation of the cell wall nutrient contents, the digestibility and the nutritive value. The standard errors of prediction of specific single species calibrations with smaller numbers of terms were lower in 60% of the cases than those obtained from the best global calibrations with higher numbers of terms. On average, SECVs from specific calibrations are better than those from global calibrations, but the differences are quite small, and for the prediction of totally new samples (new crops, another year), the global calibrations will detect less outlier samples. Even with very high variability between cuts and years, NIR spectroscopy is able via ANOVA GL Models to sort clones on their feeding value and to provide relevant information for the breeding programmes.

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