The winter growth of selected pasture grasses

Abstract

The mean daily growth increments for seven species of pasture grass were measured at intervals throughout the autumn, winter, and spring of 1962 on two field sites having different temperature spectra due to aspect differences. Other factors of the environment were similar on the two sites. The warmer site consistently outyielded the cooler, but when growth was plotted against field temperature it was seen that some species showed a reduced sensitivity to temperature during the mid-winter period. The possible relationships of this dormancy reaction to photoperiod, incoming radiation, frost occurrence, and floral initiation and development are considered.