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THE INFLUENCE OF SEASONAL CHANGES IN LIGHT ENERGY ON LEAF AND TILLER DEVELOPMENT IN RYEGRASS, TIMOTHY AND MEADOW FESCUE
Author(s) -
Patel A. S.,
Cooper J. P.
Publication year - 1961
Publication title -
grass and forage science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1365-2494
pISSN - 0142-5242
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2494.1961.tb00259.x
Subject(s) - tiller (botany) , agronomy , biology , yield (engineering) , selection (genetic algorithm) , physics , artificial intelligence , computer science , thermodynamics
The importance of leaf area as a determinant of yield in herbage crops is now widely realized. Selection for a rapid increase in leaf area might therefore be a useful approach to the problem of breeding for yield. The present paper describes the seasonal changes in two important components of leaf area, rate of leaf and tiller production, in contrasting varieties of ryegrass, timothy and meadow fescue. The regular seasonal variation in these components in the glasshouse is shown to be determined primarily by available light energy, the species and varieties differing in their response to changes in light energy. The possibilities of selection for these components of leaf area are discussed, but it is pointed out that individual leaf size must also be considered.