Inflorescence production in plants and in seed crops of Poa pratensis L. and Festuca rubra L. as affected by juvenility of tillers and tiller density.

Abstract

The vegetative development of seed crops of P. pratensis and red fescue and the production of inflorescences in the 1st yr may vary considerably when sown under a cover crop. Juvenile tillers were studied in pot experiments. In field experiments, low inflorescence production in late-sown P. pratensis mainly resulted from too few tillers, whereas the tillers that emerged during late autumn and winter were very fertile. In late-sown red fescue crops, low inflorescence production mainly resulted from the low fertility of late emerging tillers. In field experiments on sowing rate, density had a considerable effect on the capacity of consecutive tillers to produce inflorescences. The mortality of later appearing generations of tillers increased rapidly. Management methods to attain adequate crop development and reduce density effects are discussed. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)