Growth characteristics associated with biomass production in three varieties of Trichloris crinita (Poaceae), a forage grass native to the arid regions of Argentina
S. A. Greco A and J. B. Cavagnaro A BA Fac. Ciencias Agrarias. – Univ. Nacional de Cuyo. Alte Brown 500. Chacras de Coria. (5505) Mendoza, Argentina.
B Corresponding author. Email: bcavagnaro@fca.uncu.edu.ar
The Rangeland Journal 27(2) 135-142 https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ05011
Submitted: 15 September 2004 Accepted: 12 April 2005 Published: 21 November 2005
Abstract
Trichloris crinita (Lag.) Parodi is an important perennial native grass widespread in the range areas of the arid and semi-arid phytogeographical region of Monte, Argentina. Previous studies have shown great variability in forage biomass production per plant among different varieties of this species. The aim of this work was to assess which morphological and physiological traits are associated with differential productivity of T. crinita varieties. Three varieties: Pichi, of high productivity, Arroyito, of medium productivity, and Encon, of low productivity were tested in a field experiment. Dry matter (DM) produced by different organs, assimilates partitioning, and leaf area per plant were measured on three different dates for each variety, during an annual growth cycle, under watered conditions. Relative growth rate (RGR), net assimilation rate (NAR), leaf area ratio (LAR), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf weight ratio (LWR) and leaf area development rate (LADR) were calculated at 72, 128 and 172 days after transplanting. Significant differences among varieties were found for DM production of blades, sheaths + culms, panicles, roots and shoot/root ratio. Pichi and Arroyito produced more total plant biomass than Encon and this was associated with higher dry matter accumulation in aboveground organs and larger leaf area. LADR, LAR and one of its components SLA were the parameters that best explained differences in biomass production. DM partitioning to roots (considered as the percentage of total DM) was very high in Encon, the least productive variety. Differences in productivity seem to be directly associated with the mean annual rainfall and inversely associated with the mean annual temperature of the environment where plants were collected. Thus, the growth characteristics of each variety reflect differential adaptation to their areas of origin.
Additional keywords: intraspecific variability, partitioning, specific leaf area.
Acknowledgments
This research was supported by CONICET and Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Argentina. We thank Dr A. H. Hall and Dr Kent Bradford for their comments on the manuscript. We are grateful to H. Morales for his valuable technical assistance, and to N. Horak, J. Lucero, M. Delugan and M. Paez for their kind collaboration.
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