Partition of biomass and nitrogen in a potato crop under three nitrogen fertilization treatments

Nitrogen nutrition considerably influences the process of growing and producing potato crops. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of nitrogen nutrition on the pattern of biomass and nitrogen partitioning during the growth of potato crop in Mérida, Mérida, Venezuela. Experimental land plots were set, with a randomized blocks design, and with three different fertilization treatment settings for the "Granola" cultivar. The first one without nitrogen (0-N), the next one with 133 Kg N Ha-1 (133-N), and the last one with 400 Kg N Ha-1 (400-N). In the main phenological stages of the crop, biomass and nitrogen levels were measured for each organ. The performance of the tubers and the total biomass are strongly influenced by the availability of nitrogen and assimilatory biomass. The total biomass production, as well as the biomass and nitrogen partitioning to each organ, showed the following sequence: 400-N > 133-N > 0-N. However, biomass and nitrogen partitioning to the roots and stolons was higher in the treatment with limited nitrogen levels. Proportional changes among aboveground and belowground biomass are adaptive responses to nitrogen deficit conditions, which, in their turn, are determining factors in crop production.

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Allometric Relationships for Interspecific Plant Biomass Allocations and Morphological Characteristics

10.21203/rs.3.rs-562536/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

ChunPing Zhang ◽

Decao Niu ◽

Lijing Zhang ◽

Xudong Li ◽

Hua Fu

Keyword(s):

Life Form ◽

Allometric Scaling ◽

Plant Biomass ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Belowground Biomass ◽

Total Biomass ◽

Arid Environments ◽

Allometric Relationships ◽

Adaptive Responses ◽

Scaling Exponents

Abstract Background The allometric relationships of plants and their changes assist with elucidating the adaptive responses of plants to the environment. However, it remains unclear whether different species of the life-form ‘shrubs’ have consistent or similar allometric relationships between modular characteristics (including morphological characteristics and biomass allocations). Here, we selected eight xerophytic shrubs as samples to investigate the morphological characteristics, biomass allocations and their allometric relationships. ResultsThe results showed that there were common allometric scaling exponents (αRMA) between modular characteristics with the exception of crown area (C)-belowground biomass (BGB) and C-plant height (H). Moreover, The BGB-total biomass (TGB) of the eight species accorded with the significant isometric relationships, and the isometric or allometric relationships of different species in aboveground biomass (AGB)-BGB and AGB-TGB were similar, which meant that the belowground biomass mainly determined the total biomass for xerophytic shrubs. ConclusionsOur results suggested that there were similar trends of collaborative changes between modular characteristics of eight xerophytic shrubs with the exception of C-BGB and C-H, which reflected the convergent adaptation of different species in the life-form ‘shrubs’ to arid environments.

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Stand structure links up canopy processes and forest management

Forestry Studies / Metsanduslikud Uurimused ◽

10.2478/v10132-011-0076-8 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 51 (1) ◽

pp. 40-48

Author(s):

Toomas Frey

Keyword(s):

Forest Management ◽

Stand Structure ◽

Net Primary Production ◽

Stand Density ◽

Tree Height ◽

Belowground Biomass ◽

Unit Mass ◽

Total Biomass ◽

Individual Tree ◽

Mean Values

Stand structure links up canopy processes and forest management Above- and belowground biomass and net primary production (Pn) of a maturing Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) forest (80 years old) established on brown soil in central Estonia were 227, 50 and 19.3 Mg ha correspondingly. Stand structure is determined mostly by mean height and stand density, used widely in forestry, but both are difficult to measure with high precision in respect of canopy processes in individual trees. However, trunk form quotient (q2) and proportion of living crown in relation to tree height are useful parameters allowing describe stand structure tree by tree. Based on 7 model trees, leaf unit mass assimilation activity and total biomass respiration per unit mass were determined graphically as mean values for the whole tree growth during 80 years of age. There are still several possible approaches not used carefully enough to integrate experimental work at instrumented towers with actual forestry measurement. Dependence of physiological characteristics on individual tree parameters is the missing link between canopy processes and forest management.

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Competition and the response of three plant species to a salinity gradient

Canadian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1139/b91-310 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 69 (11) ◽

pp. 2497-2502 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

N. C. Kenkel ◽

A. L. McIlraith ◽

C. A. Burchill ◽

G. Jones

Keyword(s):

Salt Tolerance ◽

Interspecific Competition ◽

Poa Pratensis ◽

Salinity Gradient ◽

Belowground Biomass ◽

Peak Performance ◽

Total Biomass ◽

Salinity Response ◽

Hordeum Jubatum ◽

Puccinellia Nuttalliana

Three grasses (Poa pratensis, Hordeum jubatum, and Puccinellia nuttalliana) were grown in monoculture and three-species mixture at each of eight salinity levels in a controlled environment chamber. In monoculture, all species grew best when no salts were added to the nutrient medium. When salts were added the species showed differing degrees of salt tolerance. Percent decreases in total biomass with increasing salinity and shifts in aboveground to belowground biomass ratios suggested increased salt tolerance in the order P. pratensis < H. jubatum < P. nuttalliana. In mixture, all species showed a significant change in salinity response when compared with their responses in monoculture. Interspecific competition resulted in P. pratensis being suppressed at all but the lowest salinities. Hordeum jubatum showed the least suppression at intermediate salinities, while P. nuttalliana was least suppressed at the highest salinities. These results indicate that interspecific competition results in a shift in the peak performance of more salt-tolerant species toward the high end of the salinity gradient. The species distributions in our experimental mixtures reflected those observed in the field, suggesting that competition plays an important role in structuring inland saline plant communities. Key words: halophyte, glycophyte, community, Hordeum jubatum, Puccinellia nuttalliana, Poa pratensis.

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Estimating Nitrogen and Chlorophyll Status of Romaine Lettuce Using SPAD and at LEAF Readings

Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca ◽

10.15835/nbha47311525 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 47 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Rodrigo Omar MENDOZA-TAFOLLA ◽

Porfirio JUAREZ-LOPEZ ◽

Ronald-Ernesto ONTIVEROS-CAPURATA ◽

Manuel SANDOVAL-VILLA ◽

Iran ALIA-TEJACAL ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Linear Correlation ◽

Crop Production ◽

Chlorophyll Concentration ◽

Production Cycle ◽

Digital Object Identifier ◽

Romaine Lettuce ◽

Fresh Matter ◽

Nitrogen Levels ◽

N Concentration

Nitrogen (N) is an essential nutrient for plant growth and development and is especially important in the production of high quality leafy green vegetables. In this experiment, leaf N concentration, chlorophyll concentration (Chl) and weight above fresh matter (AFM) of romaine lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. longifolia) were estimated by correlations between in situ SPAD and atLEAF readings. Lettuce was grown in high tunnels during 42 days and was irrigated at five nitrogen levels: 0, 4, 8, 12 and 16 mEq·L-1 of NO3-, based on the Steiner nutrient solution. The N concentration, Chl concentration and AFM were determined in the laboratory, while SPAD and atLEAF readings were measured in situ weekly. SPAD readings had high, positive and significant linear correlations with N (R2 = 0.90), Chl (R2 = 0.97) and AFM (R2 = 0.98); atLEAF readings had a similar linear correlation with N (R2 = 0.91), Chl (R2 = 0.92) and AFM (R2 = 0.97). Besides, SPAD and atLEAF readings had high, positive, and significant linear correlation (R2 = 0.96). Thus, SPAD and atLEAF meters can be used to non-destructively and accurately estimate the N status of lettuce, in a reliable and quick manner during the crop production cycle. In addition, atLEAF is currently more affordable than SPAD. ********* In press - Online First. Article has been peer reviewed, accepted for publication and published online without pagination. It will receive pagination when the issue will be ready for publishing as a complete number (Volume 47, Issue 3, 2019). The article is searchable and citable by Digital Object Identifier (DOI). DOI link will become active after the article will be included in the complete issue. *********

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Evaluation of the effects of various factors on aboveground and belowground biomass storage capacity of eastern mediterranean maquis vegetation

Šumarski list ◽

10.31298/sl.141.3-4.2 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 141 (3-4) ◽

pp. 123-130

Author(s):

Ali Durkaya ◽

Sinan Kaptan ◽

Ali Sabanci ◽

Birsen Durkaya

Keyword(s):

Eastern Mediterranean ◽

Age Factors ◽

Eastern Mediterranean Region ◽

Belowground Biomass ◽

Mean Values ◽

Biomass Storage ◽

Vegetation Height ◽

Root Shoot Ratio ◽

Aboveground And Belowground Biomass ◽

Mediterranean Maquis

This study was carried out on the data obtained from 35 plot areas selected among the vertical distribution regions of maquis in study area located in Eastern Mediterranean region. The data were grouped in terms of altitude, dominant exposure, vegetation height, and mean age factors, and it is tried to reveal the change of maquis biomass depending on these factors. The data obtained shown significant variation and, for this reason, the mass values are expressed as mean values. The potential relationship between the mentioned factors and the amounts of stored biomass was examined by using t-test and variation analysis. The mean aboveground biomass amount was found to be 24,183 ton/ha, while mean belowground biomass that doesn’t contain fine root was found to be 41,062 ton/ha. According to these results obtained from mean values, the root/shoot ratio was calculated to be 1.7.

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Wetter is Better: Rewetting of Minerotrophic Peatlands Increases Plant Production and Moves Them Towards Carbon Sinks in a Dry Year

Ecosystems ◽

10.1007/s10021-020-00570-z ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Sarah Schwieger ◽

Juergen Kreyling ◽

John Couwenberg ◽

Marko Smiljanić ◽

Robert Weigel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Biomass Production ◽

Plant Material ◽

Carbon Sink ◽

Belowground Biomass ◽

Plant Production ◽

Total Biomass ◽

Carbon Sinks ◽

Alder Forest ◽

Organic Matter Accumulation

Abstract Peatlands are effective carbon sinks as more biomass is produced than decomposed under the prevalent anoxic conditions. Draining peatlands coupled with warming releases stored carbon, and subsequent rewetting may or may not restore the original carbon sink. Yet, patterns of plant production and decomposition in rewetted peatlands and how they compare to drained conditions remain largely unexplored. Here, we measured annual above- and belowground biomass production and decomposition in three different drained and rewetted peatland types: alder forest, percolation fen and coastal fen during an exceptionally dry year. We also used standard plant material to compare decomposition between the sites, regardless of the decomposability of the local plant material. Rewetted sites showed higher root and shoot production in the percolation fen and higher root production in the coastal fen, but similar root and leaf production in the alder forest. Decomposition rates were generally similar in drained and rewetted sites, only in the percolation fen and alder forest did aboveground litter decompose faster in the drained sites. The rewetted percolation fen and the two coastal sites had the highest projected potential for organic matter accumulation. Roots accounted for 23–66% of total biomass production, and belowground biomass, rather than aboveground biomass, was particularly important for organic matter accumulation in the coastal fens. This highlights the significance of roots as main peat-forming element in these graminoid-dominated fen peatlands and their crucial role in carbon cycling, and shows that high biomass production supported the peatlands’ function as carbon sink even during a dry year.

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