Influence of Partial Defoliation on Photosynthesis, Photorespiration and Transpiration by Lucerne Leaves of Different Ages

1974 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 561 ◽  
Author(s):  
KC Hodgkinson

A study was made of the short- and long-term effects of partial defoliation (cutting at 15 cm above the crown) of lucerne plants (Medicago sativa L. cv. Hunter River) on the net photosynthesis, transpiration, photorespiration and CO2 transfer resistances of remaining leaves. The response in gas-exchange properties of leaves of different ages to partial defoliation of the plant was also investigated. Partial defoliation always induced rejuvenation in photosynthetic rate of remaining leaves. Young and middle-aged leaves rejuvenated to rates comparable to those of recently expanded leaves but old leaves only partially rejuvenated. Time after defoliation to attain peak rates increased as leaves aged; values were 5, 9 and 12 days for plants partially defoliated on days 16, 30 and 65 of regrowth respectively. Peak rates were maintained for only 3 or 4 days before declining. Rates of photorespiration and photosynthesis were closely coupled. Transpiration rates varied over time in a similar but more erratic pattern to net photosynthetic rates. Changes in net photosynthetic rates associated with senescence, defoliation treatments and irradiance levels were largely attributable to changes in intracellular resistance to CO2 transfer. Intracellular resistances ranged from 2.6 to 30 s cm-1, constituting 67-95 % of the total resistance to photosynthesis. Stomatal resistance to CO2 diffusion remained low, 0.2 - 1.0 s cm-1, for all but very old leaves. Partial defoliation followed by continual removal of new crown and stubble shoots induced very high net photosynthetic rates, c. 15 days later. Highest net photosynthetic rate was 238 ng CO2 cm-2 s-1. Possible mechanisms responsible for photosynthetic rejuvenation following partial defoliation are discussed, together with ecological implications of this phenomenon.

2004 ◽  
Vol 84 (4) ◽  
pp. 1059-1066 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. Simon ◽  
M. L. Decau ◽  
J. C. Avice ◽  
A. Jacquet ◽  
F. Meuriot ◽  
...  

Nitrogen reserves in remaining organs and residual leaf area after cutting have long been recognized as key factors during alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) regrowth. The present work examined which morphological components were influenced by contrasting initial N status and residual leaf area during 29 d of regrowth after cutting at 15 cm height. Two levels of initial N reserves (high and low) and of residual leaf areas (not or completely defoliated) were combined in four treatments. Both factors affected shoot dry matter (DM) production at the end of regrowth. The increase in DM of new organs observed with high N reserves resulted from a combination of short- and long-term effects on plant morphology; i.e., (1) an increase in the rate of axis appearance from the crown in the early regrowth stage (day 0–9) and (2) an increase in individual leaf area (ILA) all along the regrowth. Compared with completely defoliated plants, plants with a residual leaf area at cutting exhibited an increased rate of axillary stems appearance all along the regrowth. Then the architecture of plants with a residual leaf area was more branched than the one of defoliated plants. This increase in branching was always associated with smaller ILA. Hence, differences in plant leaf area were only significant in the early growth stage. This suggested that differences observed in new stems DM at the end of the regrowth were established by day 9 and remained unchanged in late regrowth. Our results clearly showed that initial N reserve status and residual leaf area both significantly modify the dynamic of leaf area establishment and new organ growth of alfalfa. Key words: Medicago sativa L., defoliation, morphology, N storage, stems regrowth


Author(s):  
Thomas L. Davies ◽  
Tami F. Wall ◽  
Allan Carpentier

After examination of the research carried out by other agencies, Saskatchewan Highways and Transportation (SHT) embarked on an initiative to adapt low tire pressure technologies to the province's needs and environment. The focus of the initiative was to explore several technical questions from SHT's perspective: (a) Can low tire pressures be used to increase truck weights from secondary to primary without increasing road maintenance costs on thin membrane surface roads? (b) What are the short- and long-term effects of tire heating under high-speed/high-deflection constant reduced pressure (CRP) operations in a Saskatchewan environment? (c) What effects do lower tire pressures have on vehicle stability at highway speeds? To date, significant opportunities have been noted on local hauls (less than 30 min loaded at highway speeds) for CRP operation and long primary highway hauls that begin or end in relatively short secondary highway sections that limit vehicle weight allowed for the whole trip for central tire inflation technology. The background and environment for the initiative and the investigations and demonstrations envisioned and undertaken are briefly outlined.


Author(s):  
Maria Fitzgerald ◽  
Michael W. Salter

The influence of development and sex on pain perception has long been recognized but only recently has it become clear that this is due to specific differences in underlying pain neurobiology. This chapter summarizes the evidence for mechanistic differences in male and female pain biology and for functional changes in pain pathways through infancy, adolescence, and adulthood. It describes how both developmental age and sex determine peripheral nociception, spinal and brainstem processing, brain networks, and neuroimmune pathways in pain. Finally, the chapter discusses emerging evidence for interactions between sex and development and the importance of sex in the short- and long-term effects of early life pain.


2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoling Li ◽  
Xingyao Ren ◽  
Xu Zheng

Purpose – This paper aimed to analyze the short- and long-term effects of the breadth and depth of seller competition on the performance of platform companies, and investigated the underlying mechanisms of customers’ two-sided marketing tactics on the structure of the competition between sellers. Design/methodology/approach – A longitudinal research design was adopted by gathering daily market objective data on e-commerce platforms for 250 days, and the dynamic evolution effects was analyzed by using a vector autoregression model which compared the differences between the short- and long-term effectiveness of different customer relationship management (CRM) strategies. Findings – The breadth of competition amongst sellers improves the performance of platforms, whilst the depth of competition among sellers has a positive effect on the short-term performance. However, it has a negative effect on the long-term performance of their platforms. In both the short and long terms, advertising tactics that attract new buyers contribute more to increases in the breadth of seller competition than those that attract existing buyers do. Subsidies for new sellers decrease the depth of seller competition more than those for old sellers. Research limitations/implications – Further research could be undertaken to investigate the validity of marketing tactics other than advertising tactics, and thus expand the time windows of the available data. Practical implications – It is imperative for platform companies to implement effective control over seller competition to balance the interests of the sellers and of themselves. Originality/value – The dyadic paradigm of CRM research has been extended by considering the perspective of the electronic platform company, how the tactics of exploitation and exploration of two-sided customers impact upon seller competitive structures have been delved into and why new customers have a unique value to platform companies has been identified.


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