Longer defoliation interval ensures expression of the ‘high sugar’ trait in perennial ryegrass cultivars in cool temperate Tasmania, Australia
Article
Article Title | Longer defoliation interval ensures expression of the ‘high sugar’ trait in perennial ryegrass cultivars in cool temperate Tasmania, Australia |
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ERA Journal ID | 200892 |
Article Category | Article |
Authors | Turner, L. R. (Author), Donaghy, D. J. (Author), Pembleton, K. G. (Author) and Rawnsley, R. P. (Author) |
Journal Title | Journal of Agricultural Science |
Journal Citation | 153 (6), pp. 995-1005 |
Number of Pages | 11 |
Year | 2015 |
Publisher | Canadian Center of Science and Education |
Place of Publication | United Kingdom |
ISSN | 1916-9752 |
1916-9760 | |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021859614000628 |
Web Address (URL) | http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=9834636&fileId=S0021859614000628 |
Abstract | Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) cultivars have been developed to express higher levels of leaf water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), but expression of this ‘high sugar’ trait varies between environments and is likely to be further influenced by the extent of plant re-growth. The herbage WSC concentration and the ratio of WSC to crude protein (WSC: CP) in high sugar cultivars AberMagic and SF Joule were therefore compared with a control cultivar, Arrow, under cool temperate Tasmanian conditions and two defoliation interval treatments. The irrigated cultivars were subjected to defoliation at either the 1·5-leaf or 3-leaf stage of re-growth, and additional components of nutritive value (fibre concentrations and metabolizable energy content) and dry matter (DM) yields were measured throughout a 12-month period (March 2011 to March 2012). The high sugar trait was consistently expressed in AberMagic, which under both the 1·5-leaf and 3-leaf stages defoliation intervals, displayed the highest WSC concentration (mean 194 and 247 mg/g DM, respectively, compared with 153 and 178 mg/g DMfor Arrow) and highest WSC:CP ratio (mean 0·74 and 1·29, respectively, compared with 0·58 and 0·85 for Arrow). Defoliation at the 3-leaf stage of regrowth ensured greater expression of the high sugar trait in both AberMagic and SF Joule, as measured by the increase in WSC concentration and WSC:CP ratio as a result of increasing defoliation interval. The strength and consistency of trait expression in AberMagic under the 3-leaf stage defoliation interval warrants further research to investigate its effect on rumen nitrogen (N) partitioning and milk production in this environment. |
Keywords | Lolium perenne |
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020 | 300299. Agriculture, land and farm management not elsewhere classified |
410699. Soil sciences not elsewhere classified | |
310899. Plant biology not elsewhere classified | |
Public Notes | File reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher/author. |
Byline Affiliations | University of Tasmania |
Massey University, New Zealand | |
Institution of Origin | University of Southern Queensland |
https://research.usq.edu.au/item/q389y/longer-defoliation-interval-ensures-expression-of-the-high-sugar-trait-in-perennial-ryegrass-cultivars-in-cool-temperate-tasmania-australia
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