Influence of nitrogen fertilization on growth and loline alkaloid production of meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis) associated with the fungal symbiont Neotyphodium uncinatum

Botany ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 92 (5) ◽  
pp. 370-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anja G. Bylin ◽  
David E. Hume ◽  
Stuart D. Card ◽  
Wade J. Mace ◽  
Catherine M. Lloyd-West ◽  
...  

In a field study during two growing seasons in northern Sweden, we assessed meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis Huds.) with and without Neotyphodium uncinatum to determine whether the endophyte affects plant performance regarding tiller and biomass production. In addition, we measured loline alkaloids produced in infected grasses. Approximately 1000 plants grew at two different levels of nitrogen fertilization: the normal amount applied in this region and one-half that amount. Increasing the amount of nitrogen increased the total number of tillers on the plants. Endophyte-infected plants produced more tillers per plant than plants without the endophyte; there was, however, no significant difference in proportion of reproductive tillers, winter survival, or total biomass production between endophyte-infected and noninfected plants. Infected plants produced loline alkaloids in different quantities without indication of being influenced by different nitrogen fertilization levels.

Agronomy ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1942
Author(s):  
Giovanni Preiti ◽  
Antonio Calvi ◽  
Maurizio Romeo ◽  
Giuseppe Badagliacca ◽  
Monica Bacchi

Over two cropping seasons, 2017/18 and 2018/19, an experimental trial was conducted in a typical cereal-growing environment of the Calabrian hills (southern Italy) to study seeding rate (D) and nitrogen fertilization (N) effects on two barley F1 hybrids (Zoo and Jallon) compared to those of a traditional variety (Lutece), assessing the bio-agronomic response. Barley hybrids, gradually introduced into the principal European countries starting in 2010 as winter forage, currently represent a significant part of the EU internal market. Productive performance was evaluated as grain yield for feed and total biomass for silage and/or biogas production. Research results pointed out the greater performance of barley hybrids compared to conventional varieties in terms of both grain and biomass production. On average, barley hybrids vigour mainly manifested itself through a high tillering and a greater number of ears m−2 compared to those of the conventional variety (+24 and +23%, respectively). Furthermore, barley hybrids were characterized by a greater 1000-kernel weight and hectolitre weight than those of the Lutece variety (conventional variety). A significant increase in grain production was observed, increasing density from D150 to D225 rates (+35% and +33%, respectively) which was followed by a decrease in production shifting from D225 to D300 doses. A significant increase in biomass production was as well highlighted for the two hybrids, shifting from D150 to D225 rates (+26% and +27%, respectively). The applied nitrogen dose highlighted a different behaviour between the hybrids and the conventional variety; in particular, the lowest nitrogen dose (N80) negatively influenced the Lutece variety both in terms of grain and biomass production (−9% and −16%, respectively) while the hybrids showed the best agronomic response even at the lowest dose. On average, with the N80 dose, grain yield of Zoo and Jallon was greater than 20% and 16%, while with the N120 dose grain yield was 9% and 7%, respectively. A similar behaviour was found for biomass yield. It should therefore be emphasized that barley hybrids possess high yielding capacities and that such higher grain production can be achieved in a Mediterranean environment by using a lower seed rate (approximately −25%) and a reduced nitrogen dose (approximately −33%) compared with those commonly applied to conventional varieties.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 21
Author(s):  
Guilherme V. Pimentel ◽  
Silvino G. Moreira ◽  
Mateus O. T. de Avila ◽  
Antonio Henrique F. de Carvalho ◽  
Alessandro A. P. da Silva ◽  
...  

Maize hybrids have different levels of tolerance to the herbicide nicosulfuron, depending on the dose, the environment, the phenological stage of the plant and the timing of nitrogen fertilization, and phytotoxic effects can occur without proper management. There is also limited information on the selectivity of current genetically modified hybrids for other recommended herbicides, such as tembotrione. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of herbicides (tembotrione and nicosulfuron) and the timing of nitrogen fertilization on the yield of maize hybrids. The experimental design was a randomized block design, in a 4 × 2 factorial arrangement, with 4 replicates. The treatments consisted of four treatments [weeding; nicosulfuron + atrazine (20 and 32 + 1250 g ha-1 ai) and tembotrione + atrazine (75.6 + 1250 g ha-1 ai)] and two nitrogen fertilization times (0 and 7 days after application). Maize hybrids P30F53 Leptra, DKB 230PRO3 and KWS 9004PRO2 were assessed in two growing seasons (1st and 2nd harvest) during the 2016/2017 growing season. The percentages of weed control; phytotoxicity at 7, 14 and 21 days after application (DAA); plant height; number of rows per ear; and yield at harvest were evaluated. All herbicides were more effective in controlling weeds at the 1st harvest because of favourable climatic conditions. Nitrogen fertilization can be carried out on the same day as the application of the herbicides nicosulfuron and tembotrione with no reduction in yield for the hybrids P30F53 Leptra, DKB 230PRO3 and KWS 9004PRO2.


HortScience ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 44 (6) ◽  
pp. 1704-1711 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Chen ◽  
Regina P. Bracy ◽  
Allen D. Owings ◽  
Donald J. Merhaut

A nutrient recirculation system (NRS) was used to assess the ability of four ornamental and three wetland plant species to remove nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) from stormwater runoff. The NRS was filled with a nutrient solution with total N and P concentrations of 11.3 and 3.1 mg·L−1, respectively, to simulate high levels of nutrient contaminations in stormwater. Nutrient removal abilities of herbaceous perennial ornamental plants, canna (Canna ×generalis Bailey) ‘Australia’, iris (Iris pseudacorus L.) ‘Golden Fleece’, calla lily [Zantedeschia aethiopica (L.) Spreng], and dwarf papyrus (Cyperus haspan L.) were compared with those of wetland plants arrow arum [Peltandra virginica (L.) Schott], pickerelweed (Pontederia cordata L.), and bulltongue arrowhead (Sagittaria lancifolia L.) in three experiments. ‘Australia’ canna had the greatest water consumption, total biomass production, and aboveground N and P content followed by pickerelweed. ‘Golden Fleece’ iris had higher tissue N concentrations than canna but much lower biomass production. Dwarf papyrus had similar total biomass as pickerelweed but less shoot biomass. N and P removed from the NRS units planted with canna (98.7% N and 91.8% P) were higher than those planted with iris and arrow arum (31.6% and 31.5% N, and 38.5% and 26.3% P, respectively). NRS units planted with dwarf papyrus had similar nutrient recovery rate as pickerelweed, but much less total N and P were removed as a result of less water consumption. The NRS units planted with calla lily had lower nutrient removal than canna and pickerelweed. Our results suggest that canna is a promising ornamental species for stormwater mitigation, and harvesting the aboveground biomass of canna can effectively remove N and P from the treatment system. However, more research needs to be done to evaluate factors that might affect plant performance in a floating biofiltration system.


2008 ◽  
Vol 61 ◽  
pp. 210-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.J. Patchett ◽  
R.B. Chapman ◽  
L.R. Fletcher ◽  
S.R. Gooneratne

The larvae of New Zealand grass grub are economically important subterranean pests of pastures Some endophyteinfected meadow fescues contain loline alkaloids in the roots which can protect the plant from insect attack Loline concentrations in the roots of meadow fescue ecotypes in autumn were similar to concentrations in shoots of the same line Loline concentrations in the roots of the meadow fescue ecotypes exposed to grass grub were significantly higher (P


2015 ◽  
Vol 36 (6) ◽  
pp. 3665
Author(s):  
Maria Elisa Vicentini ◽  
Paulo Henrique Caramori ◽  
Sergio Luiz Colucci de Carvalho ◽  
Luciano Grillo Gil ◽  
Wilma Aparecida Spinosa ◽  
...  

Emphasis on studies that seek sustainable energy alternatives to oil has increased over the last few years. Ethanol derived from sugarcane remains a promising technology for biofuel production. Waste from pineapple culture remains is a potential alternative raw material for biofuel production. The goal of this study was to determine the potential of residual biomass production of a pineapple crop, subjected to fertilization by different levels of nitrogen and potassium. The experiment was conducted in Northwest Paraná, in a commercial area in Santa Isabel do Ivaí-PR. The climate in this area is subtropical humid according to the Köppen classification, and has a sandy dystrophic red acrisol.The experimental design was a 4 × 4 factorial, where factor A:N doses (0; 11; 22; and 33 g per plant) and factor B:K2O doses (0; 11; 22; and 33 g per plant. The production of residual pineapple biomass responded differently to the N and K doses applied. Potassium fertilization had a positive linear correlation, up to the addition of 33 g plant-1 with a production of 5.88 Mg ha-1. A dose of 18.138 g plant-1 yielded in the maximum dry biomass production for nitrogen fertilization.


1993 ◽  
Vol 2 (6) ◽  
pp. 537-550
Author(s):  
Jukka Salonen

The consequences of dose reduction of three new herbicide formulations were studied for the control of annual broad-leaved weeds in fields of spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The herbicide formulations were MCPA/mecoprop-P, MCPA/dichlorprop-P and MCPA/fluroxypyr. The efficacy of the lowest recommended dose and a 30% lower rate were tested and compared with the reference herbicide tribenuron-methyl. Trials were conducted at seven sites for three years. Considerable annual fluctuations in weed infestation were recorded. Although the dose reduction occasionally caused considerable decline in control (on %-scale), suppression of weed biomass was still satisfactory in most of the trials. On average, a 75% reduction of weed biomass in spring barley and an 83% reduction in spring wheat were achieved with reduced herbicide doses. Use of reduced herbicide doses for three years in the same fields caused neither a significant increase in weed infestation nor changes in the species composition of weed populations compared with treatments at recommended rates of application. There was a significant difference in biomass production between weed species. Consequently, the total biomass production of annual dicotyledonous weeds correlated only weakly (r=0.48) with the total weed density. Even in untreated plots the weed biomass at harvest constituted, on average, only 3.1-3.6% of the total vegetative biomass of crop stands. Thus, the crop yield responses to chemical weed control remained low.


Botany ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 87 (9) ◽  
pp. 837-844 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sari Piippo ◽  
Kalle Hellström ◽  
Ari-Pekka Huhta ◽  
Pasi Rautio ◽  
Juha Tuomi

Some monocarpic plants show surprising variation in response to natural and simulated grazing. In favourable conditions, injured plants may grow larger and produce more fruits and viable seeds compared with their uninjured counterparts. Such overcompensation, however, is associated with potential costs, particularly delays in flowering and fruit maturation. These delays may further increase a risk of frost injury before seed maturation in the early autumn. We tested the effects of artificially advanced night frosts on the compensatory capacity (i.e., the capacity to compensate the lost biomass by regrowth) of the monocarpic herb Erysimum strictum P. Gaertn., B. Mey., and Scherb. in a common garden experiment. Two simulated herbivory treatments were applied: 25% apical clipping in early vs. late June. Frost treatment was applied in a climate chamber in late August – early September, about 3 weeks before the first natural frost period. Apically damaged plants not exposed to frost treatment produced 1.9–2.6 times more total biomass and 2.5 times more fruit than intact plants. Frost treatment reduced plant performance by 35%–48%, but in contrast to our expectation, there was no significant difference between intact and apically damaged plants in response to early frost. In spite of the delay in phenology, compensatory regrowth did not increase the risk of frost injury. We conclude that while early night frosts imply a potential risk to monocarpic herbs recovering from herbivory, possibly other suboptimal conditions, such as drought in late summer, may provide a greater threat for early-flowering meadow and grassland plants recovering from grazing. Possibly multiple selective forces and environmental risk factors operate together in the evolution of grazing tolerance associated with flowering phenology, plant growth strategy, and architecture.


2008 ◽  
Vol 61 ◽  
pp. 205-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.J. Patchett ◽  
R.B. Chapman ◽  
L.R. Fletcher ◽  
S.R. Gooneratne

Meadow fescue Festuca pratensis infected with Neotyphodium uncinatum contains loline alkaloids that may deter attack from pasture insects In a field experiment conducted in Canterbury high leaf loline alkaloid concentration reduced damage by Argentine stem weevil (ASW; Listronotus bonariensis) adults to 12 unique endophyteinfected meadow fescue ecotypes at four assessment times (DecApr; R2adj 489 P


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document