The effect of management and competition on the uptake of ³²phosphorus by ryegrass, meadow fescue and their natural hybrid.

Abstract

Material from single representative plants of perennial ryegrass, meadow fescue and a triploid [festucoid] hybrid between them was grown in small plots in pure stand or binary and ternary mixtures and subjected to 'grazing' or 'hay' management. Root penetration as assessed by injecting ³²P at 10, 30 or 60 cm depth was more rapid under hay management. Ryegrass and meadow fescue developed roots at 60 cm depth less rapidly when associated with the hybrid than when alone or with each other; this accorded well with previous evidence on shoot growth [see previous abstract]. It was suggested that the advantage of the hybrid under competition was increased by its ability to exploit water and nutrients from deeper soil horizons.-R.B.

Key words

• effects
• grasses
• growth
• hay
• horizons
• nutrients
• penetration
• polyploidy
• roots
• shoots
• soil
• triploidy
• uptake