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Leaf appearance, death and detachment, and tillering in centipedegrass ( Eremochloa ophiuroides (Munro) Hack.) in comparison with bahiagrass ( Paspalum notatum Flügge): A study at a small sod scale
Author(s) -
Islam M. Anowarul,
Hirata Masahiko
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
grassland science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.388
H-Index - 19
eISSN - 1744-697X
pISSN - 1744-6961
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-697x.2005.00017.x
Subject(s) - paspalum notatum , tiller (botany) , agronomy , biology , paspalum , poaceae
An experiment was conducted over a 12‐month period with two levels of nitrogen (5 and 20 g N m −2 ) to obtain information on leaf dynamics and tillering characteristics in centipedegrass ( Eremochloa ophiuroides (Munro) Hack.) compared with bahiagrass ( Paspalum notatum Flügge). Leaf appearance rate (LAR) was lower in centipedegrass than in bahiagrass (0–0.13 versus 0–0.23 leaves tiller −1 d −1 ), while rates of leaf death (LDR) and detachment as litter fall were almost similar for both grasses, resulting in a lower number of live leaves per tiller in centipedegrass than in bahiagrass. Leaf appearance rate, relative LDR and leaf detachment rate were positively related to air temperature, with lower maximal LAR in centipedegrass than in bahiagrass. Centipedegrass showed higher number of daughter tillers per tiller than bahiagrass (1.45 versus 0.36) due to higher probability of tillering at axils of leaves. The effects of N levels on all measured variables were minimal, except N stimulated tillering in bahiagrass in May–June. Overall, the present study demonstrates that centipedegrass has the potential to form a denser, leafier sward than bahiagrass, because tillering ability is much higher despite lower LAR and number of live leaves per tiller.