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YIELD STUDIES IN OATS: III. The Inter‐Relationship Of The Parts Of The Oat Plant During Development
Author(s) -
Tincker M. A. H.,
Jones Martin G.
Publication year - 1931
Publication title -
annals of applied biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1744-7348
pISSN - 0003-4746
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7348.1931.tb02283.x
Subject(s) - biology , shoot , straw , crop , yield (engineering) , agronomy , growth rate , relative growth rate , plant growth , horticulture , photosynthesis , botany , mathematics , geometry , materials science , metallurgy
S ummary . 1. This paper is the third report of a series dealing with the oat crop, and is concerned with the inter‐relationship of the developing parts of the plant in the field. 2. Experiments are reported in which the various component parts of the sub‐aerial growth of spaced plants growing at stated intervals were removed at successive stages of development. The after‐effect of such treatment was observed upon the rate of growth of both the roots and shoots. 3. Whilst the removal of lateral branches in their developmental stages, during which they are dependent upon the parent branch, resulted in an acceleration of the rate of growth of the parent axis, the removal of any part of the sub‐aerial growth which is actively engaged in photosynthesis caused a reduction of the rate of growth of the plant as a whole. Such changes in the rate of growth are reflected in the root system and the ratio of root to shoot. 4. The influence of the removal of part of the shoot system is a lasting one. It can be traced out upon the time of flowering, and its effect noticed upon the rate at which the remaining parts ripen. 5. These Considerations are closely related to the previous agronomic observations dealing with the relative yield of grain and straw obtained from a variety. The late, multi‐tillered varieties, are the straw yielders par excellence. In them the relationship of the parts of the plant more closely corresponds to that observed under conditions of wide space than under limited space. The early varieties in general behaviour more closely resemble the plants grown at close intervals and those plants grown at wide intervals from which the side tillers were removed. The authors desire to express their thanks to Prof. R. G. Stapledon, the Director of the Welsh Plant Breeding Station where this work was carried out, for so kindly providing the facilities necessary, but more particularly are they indebted to him for his enthusiastic interest and the encouragement given at all stages. To the members of the technical staff we are indebted for assistance in the cutting, counting, and weighing of the large number of plants.