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Tolerance of Weed Competition Associated with High Leaf‐Area Expansion Rate in Tall Fescue 1
Author(s) -
Forcella F.
Publication year - 1987
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/cropsci1987.0011183x002700010034x
Subject(s) - biology , monoculture , weed , agronomy , competition (biology) , crop , abutilon , cultivar , shoot , specific leaf area , dry matter , horticulture , botany , photosynthesis , ecology
Crop traits that confer competitive ability and/or tolerance to interference by weeds have not been documented well. Such documentation requires comparisons of competitive abilities of isogenic lines of crop cultivars. To determine the value of leaf‐area expansion (LAE) rates as a competitive trait, two near‐isogenic lines of tall rescue ( Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) with high and low LAE rates were grown in pots in monoculture and in mixture with velvetleaf ( Abutilon theophrasti Medik.) in a greenhouse. In monoculture, shoot dry matter production of the two genotypes was equal. However, when competing with velvetleaf, the high‐LAE genotype produced 38 to 73% more dry matter (in two experiments) than the low‐LAE genotype. Furthermore, velvetleaf growth was suppressed 14 to 24% (in two experiments) when grown with the high‐LAE genotype than when grown with the low‐LAE genotype. Thus, high‐LAE rate confers weed tolerance and competitive ability to tall rescue. This trait also maybe a valuable inclusion to breeding programs for other crops that currently suffer from weed interference.