Seed production of Lotus tenuis (Fabaceae), a forage legume: effects of row spacing, seeding date, and plant defoliation
O. R. Vignolio A B , G. S. Cambareri A and N. O. Maceira AA Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata-Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria, CC 276, 7620 Balcarce, Argentina.
B Corresponding author. Email: ovignolio@balcarce.inta.gov.ar
Crop and Pasture Science 61(12) 1027-1035 https://doi.org/10.1071/CP10238
Submitted: 13 July 2010 Accepted: 1 November 2010 Published: 8 December 2010
Abstract
Indeterminate flowering, pod dehiscence, and seed shattering are some the most important factors that limit seed yield in some Lotus species. The objective of this study was to determine strategies to maximise Lotus tenuis seed yield by evaluating: (i) the effects of row spacing (17.5 and 35.0 cm) and seeding date (autumn 2007, autumn 2008, and spring 2008) on vegetative biomass and reproductive components, and (ii) plant defoliation at the beginning of flowering to make the time of seed ripening more uniform. Plant density was held constant at 20 plants/m2. The beginning of flowering was later in plants seeded in spring than in those seeded in autumn. Defoliation retarded peak flowering through destruction of reproductive organs. Vegetative and reproductive biomasses were not significantly different between row spacings or defoliation conditions. Vegetative biomass, seed yield, pod dehiscence, and shattered seed varied between seeding dates in different years, and within the same year between seeding seasons. Harvest seed yield was greater for autumn 2007 than for spring 2008 and autumn 2008 seeding (181.67 ± 9.76, 71.41 ± 4.16, and 41.73 ± 3.39 g/m2, respectively). Lost seed (shattered seed) was greater for spring 2008 than for autumn 2008 and autumn 2007 (76.04 ± 5.29, 71.43 ± 3.31, and 16.11 ± 2.61 g/m2, respectively). Under defoliation conditions, harvest seed yield and lost seed were 92.59 ± 3.07 and 2.07 ± 0.63 g/m2, respectively. Potential seed yield was highly correlated with avoveground vegetative biomass (R2 = 0.758; P < 0.0001), no. of umbels with pods/m2 (R2 = 0.859; P < 0.0001), and pod biomass/m2 (R2 = 0.949; P < 0.0001). Thousand-seed weight was not significantly different between row spacings, but was greater with spring seeding and lower if the crop was defoliated. Air temperature and relative humidity during reproduction affected seed shattering and, consequently, seed yield. The results are discussed in relation to the management of L. tenuis seed crops and the importance of row spacing, seeding date, and plant defoliation for seed production.
Additional keywords: autumn and spring seedings, narrow-leaf trefoil, plant defoliation, vegetative and reproductive biomass.
References
Andrade FH, Cirilo AG (2002) Fecha de siembra y rendimiento de los cultivos. In ‘Bases para el Manejo del Maíz, el Girasol y la Soja’. (Eds FH Andrade, VO Sadras) pp. 137–156. (INTA: Argentina)Askarian M, Hampton JG, Hill MJ (1995) Effect of row spacing and sowing rate on seed production of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) cv. Grasslands Oranga. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 38, 289–295.
| Effect of row spacing and sowing rate on seed production of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) cv. Grasslands Oranga.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Bader KL, Anderson SR (1962) Seed yields of birdsfoot trefoil, Lotus corniculatus L., as affected by preharvest clipping combined with control of injurious insects. Agronomy Journal 54, 306–309.
| Seed yields of birdsfoot trefoil, Lotus corniculatus L., as affected by preharvest clipping combined with control of injurious insects.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Beuselinck PR, McGraw RL (1988) Indeterminate flowering and reproductive success in birdsfoot trefoil. Crop Science 28, 842–845.
| Indeterminate flowering and reproductive success in birdsfoot trefoil.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Blumenthal MJ, McGraw RL (1999) Lotus adaptation, use and management. In ‘Trefoil: The science and technology of Lotus’. CSSA Special Publication No. 28. (Ed. PR Beuselinck) pp. 97–119. (CSSA: Madison, WI)
Boquet DJ (1990) Plant population density and row spacing effects on soybean at post-optimal planting dates. Agronomy Journal 82, 59–64.
| Plant population density and row spacing effects on soybean at post-optimal planting dates.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Fairey DT, Smith RR (1999) Seed production in birdsfoot trefoil. In ‘Trefoil: The science and technology of Lotus’. CSSA Special Publication No. 28. (Ed. PR Beuselinck) pp. 145–166. (CSSA: Madison, WI)
Garcia-Diaz CA, Steiner JJ (2000a) Birdsfoot trefoil seed production: II. Plant-water status on reproductive development and seed yield. Crop Science 40, 449–456.
| Birdsfoot trefoil seed production: II. Plant-water status on reproductive development and seed yield.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Garcia-Diaz CA, Steiner JJ (2000b) Birdsfoot trefoil seed production: III. Seed shatter and optimal harvest time. Crop Science 40, 457–462.
| Birdsfoot trefoil seed production: III. Seed shatter and optimal harvest time.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Grafton KF, Schneiter AA, Nagle BJ (1988) Row spacing, plant population, and genotype × row spacing interaction effects on yield and yield components of dry bean. Agronomy Journal 80, 631–634.
| Row spacing, plant population, and genotype × row spacing interaction effects on yield and yield components of dry bean.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kade M, Pagani EA, Mendoza RE (2003) A morphological study of population of Lotus glaber Mill. (Fabaceae). Agronomie 23, 203–207.
| A morphological study of population of Lotus glaber Mill. (Fabaceae).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Little T, Hills FJ (1979) ‘Métodos estadísticos para la investigación en la agricultura.’ (Trillas Publishing: México)
López-Bellido L, Fuentes M, Lhamby JCB, Castillo JE (1994) Growth and yield of white lupin (Lupinus albus) under Mediterranean conditions: effect of sowing date. Field Crops Research 36, 87–94.
| Growth and yield of white lupin (Lupinus albus) under Mediterranean conditions: effect of sowing date.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Marois JJ, Wright DL, Wiatrak PJ, Vargas MV (2004) Effect of row width and nitrogen on cotton morphology and canopy microclimate. Crop Science 44, 870–877.
| Effect of row width and nitrogen on cotton morphology and canopy microclimate.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
McGraw RL, Beuselinck PR (1983) Growth and seed yield characteristics of birdsfoot trefoil. Agronomy Journal 75, 443–446.
| Growth and seed yield characteristics of birdsfoot trefoil.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
McGraw RL, Beuselinck PR, Ingram KT (1986) Plant population density effects on seed yield of birdsfoot trefoil. Agronomy Journal 78, 201–205.
| Plant population density effects on seed yield of birdsfoot trefoil.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
McNaughton SJ (1983) Compensatory plant growth as a response to herbivory. Oikos 40, 329–336.
| Compensatory plant growth as a response to herbivory.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Medeiros RB, Steiner JJ (2000) White clover seed production: III. Cultivar differences under contrasting management practices. Crop Science 40, 1317–1324.
| White clover seed production: III. Cultivar differences under contrasting management practices.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Paige KN, Whitham TG (1987) Overcompensation in response to mammalian herbivory: the advantage of being eaten. American Naturalist 129, 407–416.
| Overcompensation in response to mammalian herbivory: the advantage of being eaten.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Palta JA, Ludwig C (1998) Yield response of narrow-leafed lupin plants to variations in pod number. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 49, 63–68.
| Yield response of narrow-leafed lupin plants to variations in pod number.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pankiw P, Bonin SG, Lieverse JAC (1977) Effects of row spacing and seeding rates on seed yield in red clover, alsike clover and birdsfoot trefoil. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 57, 413–418.
| Effects of row spacing and seeding rates on seed yield in red clover, alsike clover and birdsfoot trefoil.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pasumarty SV, Higuchi S, Murata T, Matsumura T (1995) Seed production in white clover (Trifolium repens L.). II. Effect of autumn defoliation on potential seed yield and seed yield components. Grass and Forage Science 50, 147–154.
| Seed production in white clover (Trifolium repens L.). II. Effect of autumn defoliation on potential seed yield and seed yield components.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Seaney RR, Henson PR (1970) Birdsfoot trefoil. Advances in Agronomy 22, 119–157.
| Birdsfoot trefoil.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Smith FP, Cocks PS, Ewing MA (1998) Seed production in cluster clover (Trifolium glomeratum L.) 2. Effect of sowing time and sowing rate on flowering time, abortion, seed size, and hardseededness. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 49, 965–971.
| Seed production in cluster clover (Trifolium glomeratum L.) 2. Effect of sowing time and sowing rate on flowering time, abortion, seed size, and hardseededness.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Soil Survey Staff-USDA (1999) ‘Soil taxonomy: a basic system for classifying soils.’ Agriculture Handbook No. 436. (USDA: Washington, DC)
Stephenson AG, Winsor JA (1986) Lotus corniculatus regulates offspring quality through selective fruit abortion. Evolution 40, 453–458.
| Lotus corniculatus regulates offspring quality through selective fruit abortion.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Tayo TO (1980) The response of two soya-bean varieties to the loss of apical dominance at the vegetative stage of growth. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 95, 409–416.
| The response of two soya-bean varieties to the loss of apical dominance at the vegetative stage of growth.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Thompson R, Taylor H (1977) Yield components and cultivar, sowing date and density in field beans (Vicia faba). Annals of Applied Biology 86, 313–320.
| Yield components and cultivar, sowing date and density in field beans (Vicia faba).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Vignolio OR, Cambareri GS (2008) Producción de biomasa vegetativa y reproductiva en plantas de Lotus tenuis cultivadas a diferentes densidades. Revista Argentina de Producción Animal 2, 77–86.
Vignolio OR, Fernández ON, Castaño J (2006) Responses of Lotus glaber (Leguminosae cv. Chajá) to defoliation in reproductive stage. Annales Botanici Fennici 43, 284–287.
Vignolio OR, Fernández ON, Maceira NO (2002) Biomass allocation to vegetative and reproductive organs in Lotus tenuis and L. corniculatus (Fabaceae). Australian Journal of Botany 50, 75–82.
| Biomass allocation to vegetative and reproductive organs in Lotus tenuis and L. corniculatus (Fabaceae).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
