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Modifying growth patterns in nine grasses with mefluidide
Author(s) -
HAGGAR R. J.,
ISAAC S. P.,
STANDELL C. J.
Publication year - 1989
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.1365-2494.1989.tb01913.x
Subject(s) - dactylis glomerata , holcus lanatus , lolium perenne , festuca rubra , biology , agronomy , agrostis , poaceae , festuca arundinacea , festuca
Mefluidide was applied at 150ga.i.ha −1 on one of three dates (7, 28 March or 18 April, 1984) to irrigated field plots of nine grasses. Spraying suppressed flowering in the primary growth of most species, especially when carried out in mid‐ April. However, spraying at this time proved too damaging to amounts of herbage harvested. Spraying in March reduced mean yields by about one‐third at the first harvest and increased mean yields at the second harvest. In addition, spraying at this time increased herbage quality, as indicated by higher N and lower fibre contents, at least at the first harvest. In general, the grasses most responsive to mefluidide were tall‐growing and/or early‐flowering species, e.g. Arrhenatherum elatius, Festuca rubra, Dactylis glomerata and Holcus lanatus ; by comparison, Lolium perenne was relatively less affected by spraying. The findings indicate the potential of mefluidide for overcoming the normal decline in herbage quality associated with flowering, and for transferring growth from spring to midsummer, albeit at some cost to total annual production.