Premium
Influence of Temperature on the Growth of Erodium botrys and Trifolium subterraneum 1
Author(s) -
Guerrero F. P.,
Williams W. A.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci1975.0011183x001500040031x
Subject(s) - trifolium subterraneum , biology , photosynthesis , seedling , grassland , botany , relative growth rate , agronomy , photoperiodism , horticulture , growth rate , pasture , geometry , mathematics
Temperature effects on the vegetative growth of broadleaf filaree, Erodium botrys (Cav.) Bertol., and subterranean clover, Trijolium subterraneum L., were studied at three diurnal temperature regimes: low (5 to 15 C), medium (10 to 20 C), and high (15 to 25 C). The objective of this study was to evaluate the response of these species to temperatures that reflect the conditions of the annual grassland type during the seedling stage. Chambergrown plants were harvested periodically over a 5‐week period. Filaree was less sensitive to low temperatures and exhibited a temperature optimum between 10 to 20 C and 15 to 25 C, whereas sub clover showed a linear increase in relative growth rate with temperature up to 15 to 25 C. Although sub clover demonstrated a more efficient photosynthetic system, i.e., a greater net assimilation rate, filaree had a higher photosynthetic capacity as shown by a greater leaf area ratio. Filaree partitioned more assimilate into leaf tissue than sub clover which in turn produced more stem and root tissue than filaree. These results indicate that filaree is favored when late fall rains occur along with lower temperatures.