In this study I assessed the potentials of selected, established perennial grasses to maintain site occupancy in the foothills ecosystem of the Rogue River Valley of southwest Oregon which is currently dominated by a variety of annual plants. The first evaluation compared growth curves of the perennial grasses and contrasted them to growth patterns of residual annual plants. Periods of growth varied among the perennial grasses studied. Of the perennial grasses, Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis), a native, and Berber orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata var. 'Berber'), introduced, most closely emulated the growth patterns of the majority of the annual plants. Relative to the other perenial grasses tested, they initiated growth earlier, continued some growth through the winter and matured earlier. Once established, they should be able to effectively compete with the resident annuals for resources and maintain their populatiOhs. To assess the potential for competition for available moisture, the second evaluation considered timing and extent of soil moisture extraction by the perennial grasses and the resident annual community through the periods of active growth. This verified growth analysis results. Idaho fescue and Berber orchardgrass extracted moisture earlier than the other perennial grasses. Perennial grass plots and plots dominated by yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis) end of season residual soil moisture levels were similar. Resident annual grasses left considerably more soil moisture. In years with an early summer drought, the earlier growing perennial grasses should be able to satisfy growth requirements and persist. An assessment was also made of the abilities of several selected established perennial grasses to resist reinvasion by resident annual plants. Earlier growing perennial grasses such as Berber orchardgrass and Idaho fescue suppressed the annuals more effectively than the later growing perennial grasses. Of the perennial grasses studied, those emulating the growth patterns of the annuals have been the Most competitive and have maintained the most vigorous stands. / Graduation date: 1990

No description available.

N-transfer from legume to grass when the two were intercropped in the field and the mechanisms of this transfer were studied. Studies involving either alfalfa-grasses or soybean-corn intercrops, were undertaken. Mycorrhizal and P-supplemented (to compensate for the lack of mycorrhizae) intercrops were compared. In these studies, the legume component of intercrops was labelled with $ sp{15}$N and any excess of the label was looked for in the associated grass plants. / There was no reversal of N transport at the legume-fungus interface. N-transfer from legume to grass must therefore, proceed via excretion of N by legume roots and subsequent uptake by grass roots. Soil microorganisms and proximity of plant root systems are important factors affecting N-transfer. Mycorrhizae enhance the transfer by increasing the absorptive efficiency of the receiver plants. / Mycorrhizal fungi enhance the competitiveness of the most mycotrophic component of the mixtures by either improving P uptake or the general nutrient balance of the plant. Mycorrhizal inoculation can decrease the level of P competition between corn and soybean by increasing the availability of P. / The observation that mycorrhizal plants differ in many regards from P-supplemented plants, emphasize the generally poor comprehension of the mycorrhizal symbiosis.

No description available.

O presente trabalho teve o objetivo geral de estudar as respostas produtivas de capins do gênero Cynodon em resposta a estratégias de corte. O experimento foi conduzido no campus da ESALQ em Piracicaba, SP. Foram avaliados três cultivares, Tifton 85 e Jiggs (estabelecidos vegetativamente) e Vaquero (propagado por sementes) submetidos a três intervalos de corte, 14, 28 e 42 dias. O delineamento experimental foi completamente casualizado com arranjo fatorial completo. Foram medidas a produção de forragem, composição morfológica da forragem produzida, o índice de área foliar (IAF), a interceptação luminosa (IL) e altura do dossel. Foi feito também um estudo de análise de crescimento. Os cultivares Jiggs (22,6 Mg MS ha-1) e Tifton 85 (21,8 Mg MS ha-1) apresentaram os maiores acúmulos de forragem total na média das frequências de 28 e 42 dias de rebrotação. Na frequência de 14 dias de rebrotação, não houve diferença para o acúmulo total de forragem entre os cultivares com média de 13,3 Mg MS ha-1. A proporção de folhas, em média, foi maior nas frequências de 14 (69,6%) e 28 (55,2%) dias de colheita no verão. No inverno a proporção de folhas foi de 57,6% e 59,8% para as frequências de 14 e 28 dias de corte, respectivamente. Tifton 85 e Vaquero apresentaram maior porcentagem de folhas no verão, com médias de 63,3% e 56,0%, respectivamente. No inverno o Tifton 85 apresentou maior porcentagem de folha, com média de 63%. As frequências de 14 e 28 dias resultaram em maiores porcentagens de folha. O Jiggs apresentou maior porcentagem de colmo (46,7%) no verão e no inverno (40,0%). A frequência de 42 dias de corte no verão resultou em maior porcentagem de colmo (51,2%) e maior IAF no pré-corte (4,8). No inverno, a porcentagem de colmo (43,9%) e o IAF pré-corte (3,9) também foram maiores sob a frequência de 42 dias de colheita. A altura pré-corte no verão foi maior na frequência de 42 dias com média de 32,7 cm e o cultivar Jiggs foi o que apresentou maior altura pré-corte com média de 26, 5 cm nessa estação. A frequência de 28 dias de colheita no verão resultou em IL de 93,4%. A frequência de 42 dias de colheita gerou maior taxa de crescimento de cultura, TCC (30,9 g MS m-2 dia-1) no verão. Maior taxa de crescimento relativo, TCR, ocorreu nas frequências de 28 (0,26 g g1dia1) e 42 dias (0,32 g g1dia1) também no verão. No inverno, maior TCR foi medida na frequência de 28 dias (0,21 g g-1 dia-1). Maiores razão de área foliar, RAF, e razão de peso foliar, RPF, ocorreram na frequência de 28 dias no verão. Jiggs e Tifton 85 são os cultivares mais recomendados para produção de forragem e a frequência de desfolhação a cada 28 dias é a que garante melhor produção quando o objetivo é produzir massa de forragem com uma proporção maior de folhas. / The objectives in this study were to investigate the productive responses of Cynodon grasses to a range of defoliation strategies. The field trial was conducted at ESALQ-USP in Piracicaba, SP, Brazil. Three commercial Cynodon cultivars (Tifton 85 and Jiggs, vegetatively propagated; and Vaquero, a seeded type) were mechanically harvested every 14, 28, and 42 days under a completely randomized design in a complete factorial arrangement with four replicates. Responses measured included forage accumulation (yield), plant-part composition in the accumulated forage, leaf area index (LAI), sward light interception (LI), and sward height. A classical growth analysis study was also carried in the same field plots. Jiggs (22.6 Mg DM ha-1) and Tifton 85 (21.8 Mg DM ha-1) were the highest yielding materials under the 28- and 42-d schedules. Under the 14-d frequency, total forage accumulation did not differ among cultivars, averaging 13.3 Mg DM ha-1. On average, leaf percentage in the accumulated forage was higher in plots clipped every 14 (69.6%) and 28 (55.2%) days. In the cool-dry season, with irrigation, leaf percentage in the harvested forage was 57.6 and 59.8% in plots harvested every 14 and 28 days, respectively. Tifton 85 and Vaquero forage had more percent leaves in the warm-rainy season (63.3 and 56 %, respectively). In the cool season, Tifton 85 forage was leafier, at 63%. The 14- and the 28-d harvest schedules resulted in leafier forage. Jiggs forage had more % stem both in the warm (46.7) and in the cool (40) seasons. The 42-d harvest schedule resulted in highest stem percentage (51.2%) but also higher LAI (4.8) at harvest during the warm season. In the cool season, stem percentage (43.9%) and LAI at harvest (3.9) were also highest in plots clipped every 42 days. Sward height at harvest during the warm season was greater in plots clipped every 42 days, averaging 32.7 cm, with Jiggs being the tallest grass in the warm season, on average (26.5 cm). The 28-d schedule resulted in mean sward LI of 93.4 % on average. Crop growth rate (CGR) was highest (30.9 g DM m-2 d-1) under the 42-d frequency in the warm season. Higher warm-season relative growth rates (RGR) were registered under the 28- and the 42-d schedule (0.26 and 0.32 g g-1d-1, respectively). In the cool season, the highest RGR (021 g g-1 d-1) was measured under the 28-d schedule. The highest leaf area ratio (LAR) and leaf weight ratio (LWR) were measured in the 28-d treatment during the warm-season. Jiggs and Tifton 85 are recommended for their high yield potential under a 28-d harvest schedule, which ensures the production of leafy forage.

O presente trabalho teve o objetivo geral de estudar as respostas produtivas de capins do gênero Cynodon em resposta a estratégias de corte. O experimento foi conduzido no campus da ESALQ em Piracicaba, SP. Foram avaliados três cultivares, Tifton 85 e Jiggs (estabelecidos vegetativamente) e Vaquero (propagado por sementes) submetidos a três intervalos de corte, 14, 28 e 42 dias. O delineamento experimental foi completamente casualizado com arranjo fatorial completo. Foram medidas a produção de forragem, composição morfológica da forragem produzida, o índice de área foliar (IAF), a interceptação luminosa (IL) e altura do dossel. Foi feito também um estudo de análise de crescimento. Os cultivares Jiggs (22,6 Mg MS ha-1) e Tifton 85 (21,8 Mg MS ha-1) apresentaram os maiores acúmulos de forragem total na média das frequências de 28 e 42 dias de rebrotação. Na frequência de 14 dias de rebrotação, não houve diferença para o acúmulo total de forragem entre os cultivares com média de 13,3 Mg MS ha-1. A proporção de folhas, em média, foi maior nas frequências de 14 (69,6%) e 28 (55,2%) dias de colheita no verão. No inverno a proporção de folhas foi de 57,6% e 59,8% para as frequências de 14 e 28 dias de corte, respectivamente. Tifton 85 e Vaquero apresentaram maior porcentagem de folhas no verão, com médias de 63,3% e 56,0%, respectivamente. No inverno o Tifton 85 apresentou maior porcentagem de folha, com média de 63%. As frequências de 14 e 28 dias resultaram em maiores porcentagens de folha. O Jiggs apresentou maior porcentagem de colmo (46,7%) no verão e no inverno (40,0%). A frequência de 42 dias de corte no verão resultou em maior porcentagem de colmo (51,2%) e maior IAF no pré-corte (4,8). No inverno, a porcentagem de colmo (43,9%) e o IAF pré-corte (3,9) também foram maiores sob a frequência de 42 dias de colheita. A altura pré-corte no verão foi maior na frequência de 42 dias com média de 32,7 cm e o cultivar Jiggs foi o que apresentou maior altura pré-corte com média de 26, 5 cm nessa estação. A frequência de 28 dias de colheita no verão resultou em IL de 93,4%. A frequência de 42 dias de colheita gerou maior taxa de crescimento de cultura, TCC (30,9 g MS m-2 dia-1) no verão. Maior taxa de crescimento relativo, TCR, ocorreu nas frequências de 28 (0,26 g g1dia1) e 42 dias (0,32 g g1dia1) também no verão. No inverno, maior TCR foi medida na frequência de 28 dias (0,21 g g-1 dia-1). Maiores razão de área foliar, RAF, e razão de peso foliar, RPF, ocorreram na frequência de 28 dias no verão. Jiggs e Tifton 85 são os cultivares mais recomendados para produção de forragem e a frequência de desfolhação a cada 28 dias é a que garante melhor produção quando o objetivo é produzir massa de forragem com uma proporção maior de folhas. / The objectives in this study were to investigate the productive responses of Cynodon grasses to a range of defoliation strategies. The field trial was conducted at ESALQ-USP in Piracicaba, SP, Brazil. Three commercial Cynodon cultivars (Tifton 85 and Jiggs, vegetatively propagated; and Vaquero, a seeded type) were mechanically harvested every 14, 28, and 42 days under a completely randomized design in a complete factorial arrangement with four replicates. Responses measured included forage accumulation (yield), plant-part composition in the accumulated forage, leaf area index (LAI), sward light interception (LI), and sward height. A classical growth analysis study was also carried in the same field plots. Jiggs (22.6 Mg DM ha-1) and Tifton 85 (21.8 Mg DM ha-1) were the highest yielding materials under the 28- and 42-d schedules. Under the 14-d frequency, total forage accumulation did not differ among cultivars, averaging 13.3 Mg DM ha-1. On average, leaf percentage in the accumulated forage was higher in plots clipped every 14 (69.6%) and 28 (55.2%) days. In the cool-dry season, with irrigation, leaf percentage in the harvested forage was 57.6 and 59.8% in plots harvested every 14 and 28 days, respectively. Tifton 85 and Vaquero forage had more percent leaves in the warm-rainy season (63.3 and 56 %, respectively). In the cool season, Tifton 85 forage was leafier, at 63%. The 14- and the 28-d harvest schedules resulted in leafier forage. Jiggs forage had more % stem both in the warm (46.7) and in the cool (40) seasons. The 42-d harvest schedule resulted in highest stem percentage (51.2%) but also higher LAI (4.8) at harvest during the warm season. In the cool season, stem percentage (43.9%) and LAI at harvest (3.9) were also highest in plots clipped every 42 days. Sward height at harvest during the warm season was greater in plots clipped every 42 days, averaging 32.7 cm, with Jiggs being the tallest grass in the warm season, on average (26.5 cm). The 28-d schedule resulted in mean sward LI of 93.4 % on average. Crop growth rate (CGR) was highest (30.9 g DM m-2 d-1) under the 42-d frequency in the warm season. Higher warm-season relative growth rates (RGR) were registered under the 28- and the 42-d schedule (0.26 and 0.32 g g-1d-1, respectively). In the cool season, the highest RGR (021 g g-1 d-1) was measured under the 28-d schedule. The highest leaf area ratio (LAR) and leaf weight ratio (LWR) were measured in the 28-d treatment during the warm-season. Jiggs and Tifton 85 are recommended for their high yield potential under a 28-d harvest schedule, which ensures the production of leafy forage.

Research was conducted at Cyprus Pima Mine, an open pit copper mine located southwest of Tucson, Arizona, in 1980 and 1981 to study the establishment of annual and perennial grasses on the slopes of copper mine tailing ponds. In 1980, the north and south slope exposures were hydroseeded with barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). Plots were capped with topsoil prior to planting or left uncapped, and mulched with wheat straw after planting or left unmulched. Desert soil was classified as Palos Verdes-Sonoita Complex and Detrital-Sonoita Complex. Barley provided a quick, temporary cover and served as a mulch for later plantings. The number of seedlings established was the same for both exposures. Barley grew taller on the north slope possibly due to cooler temperatures. Barley growth was more vigorous on mulched areas. In 1981, the same north and south slopes were hydroseeded with Lehmann lovegrass (Eragrostis lehmanniana Nees.), buffel grass (Pennisetum cilare (L.) Link), blue panicgrass (Panicum antidotale Retz.) and bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.). Prior to planting perennials, barley residue was incorporated into the slopes using a spike-tooth chain drag and a sheepfoot roller, or was left unincorporated. Incorporation of barley residue aided in its breakdown and helped prepare a good seedbed. The spike-tooth chain drag produced better growth than the sheepfoot roller, possibly due to excessive soil compaction with the sheepfoot roller. Capping tailing slopes with desert soil produced the most significant improvements in barley and perennial grass growth. Soil analyses of pure tailing and capped tailing revealed both were low in nitrogen and phosphorus. All plots were amended with these nutrients. Organic matter, although low for both samples, was higher in the capped tailing sample. Organic matter improves soil structure and provides nutrients and its increased presence may have been the main reason for improved growth on capped slopes.