The Grasslands II perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) mapping population comprising F1 progeny with the two parents (one plant each from the cultivars Samson and Impact) (Crush et al., 2007) was used to detect putative quantitative trait loci (QTL) for leaf Rubisco turnover and herbage yield traits. Rubisco turnover was described by three mathematical parameters: d (maximum Rubisco content), g (time of d) and f (a measure of curve width). All three parameters exhibited continuous variation among the F1 progeny. Sixteen QTL were detected, seven for Rubisco turnover and nine for herbage yield traits. Support interval overlap on linkage group (LG) 1 and close location on LG2 for plant dry weight (DW) QTL in this study and in a previous analysis (Sartie, 2007) of the same mapping population suggests DW QTL stability across environments. Some QTL identified by Sartie (2007) were not re-confirmed in this study, but new QTL were identified. This suggests genotype x environment interaction generated by variable expression of genes in different environments. Clusters of QTL with overlapping support intervals were found on LG2 and LG5. The cluster on LG2 included QTL for herbage yield traits leaf lamina length (LL), tiller number (TN), productivity index (PI) and DW. The cluster on LG5 included QTL for DW, PI, TN, and d. These two regions offer potential for plant breeding applications. Apart from the QTL for d on LG5, there was no co-location of Rubisco turnover and herbage yield QTL. However, principal component analysis indicated plants with lower d tended to have higher DW; thus Rubisco turnover effects on plant productivity may relate to energy cost of Rubisco synthesis rather than photosynthetic capacity. DW was generally unrelated to f and g; therefore, hypothesised nitrogen use inefficiencies arising from premature Rubisco degradation, or retention of Rubisco at leaf senescence, were not confirmed. LG5 and LG7 on which QTL for d were located have conserved syntenic regions with rice chromosomes 8 and 9 where QTL for Rubisco content at different stages during heading were mapped by Ishimaru et al (2001a).

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Les hydrocarbures aromatiques polycycliques (HAP) sont des polluants organiques persistants potentiellement mutagènes et cancérigènes. Leur transfert de l'atmosphère vers les écosystèmes, notamment vers les plantes, conditionne leur entrée dans les chaines alimentaires mais les modalités de ce transfert restent encore mal connues. L'objectif de ce travail était donc de caractériser le transfert et d'identifier les effets biologiques des HAP atmosphériques sur un système sol-plante-microorganismes symbiotiques.Un dispositif expérimental a été conçu afin de recréer en laboratoire une pollution atmosphérique par les HAP avec comme HAP modèle le phénanthrène (PHE). Le dispositif a fait l'objet d'une validation et d'une calibration élaborée de manière originale par une double approche mêlant l'expérimental à la simulation mathématique. Les niveaux d'exposition en polluant (150 µg m-3), contrôlés par des échantillonneurs passifs, se sont avérés pertinents par rapport aux conditions in situ. Ce dispositif a donc été utilisé pour exposer durant un mois des microsystèmes sol-plante-microorganismes au PHE par voie atmosphérique.Les différentes études ont mis en évidence un transfert du PHE depuis l'atmosphère vers tous les compartiments du microsystème, avec une accumulation majeure vers les feuilles de trèfle ou de ray-grass (respectivement 170 et 70 µg g־ ¹MS) et un transfert phloémien vers les racines est suggéré. Chez le trèfle, la mycorhization n'a pas été affectée, tandis que le nombre de nodules actifs a diminué de manière significative. Contrairement aux racines, la biomasse aérienne du trèfle a été significativement affectée (environ - 25%) par l'exposition au PHE atmosphérique, suggérant un impact sur le métabolisme carboné de la plante. Une expérience de marquage des trèfles au ¹³C-CO2 a effectivement montré un impact négatif du PHE atmosphérique sur la croissance, l'allocation de biomasse et l'allocation carbonée. Pour conclure, ces études ont permis non seulement de caractériser les effets biologiques et physiologiques des HAP atmosphériques sur les végétaux mais également de proposer l'utilisation du potentiel mycorhizien comme indicateur de pollution atmosphérique par les HAP.

L'objectif de notre travail a été étudié le transfert de C dans la plante et vers la rhizosphère de Lolium perenne afin d'expliciter le couplage entre le fonctionnement de la plante et la rhizodéposition.<br />Nous avons d'abord déterminé la contribution du carbone récemment assimilé par la plante à la rhizodéposition. Nous avons ainsi réalisé un double marquage long des parties aériennes des plantes (14CO2 et 13CO2) afin d'estimer la répartition dans la plante et les compartiments rhizosphériques du C récent et le C plus anciennement assimilé. Contrairement à ce qui est admis généralement, le C ancien, probablement issu de la remobilisation de composés de réserve, contribue significativement à la rhizodéposition.<br />Nous avons ensuite évalué sur des dispositifs expérimentaux de terrain l'influence de contraintes subies par les parties aériennes de la plante sur les flux de C récent vers la rhizosphère (augmentation de la concentration en CO2 atmosphérique et défoliation). La disponibilité en azote dans le sol est un facteur déterminant de la réponse des plantes à l'élévation des concentrations en CO2 ou à la défoliation. A l'automne, une diminution de la rhizodéposition de C est observée pour les plantes soumises au doublement de CO2. Les composés organiques libérés par les racines sont minéralisés plus rapidement sous CO2 élevé que sous CO2 ambiant. La défoliation n'induit pas de variations notables de la disponibilité en C dans la rhizosphère, suggérant aucune influence significative de ce facteur sur la rhizodéposition. <br />Les interactions entre les facteurs de l'environnement et de gestion de la parcelle cultivée déterminent le fonctionnement de la plante et modulent les efflux de C à partir des racines, ce qui rend la rhizodéposition difficile à prédire et à modéliser. Il s'avère que les effets nets du doublement de CO2 ou de la défoliation sur la rhizodéposition sont beaucoup moins marqués au champ qu'en conditions contrôlées. Au delà de la contribution quantitative de la rhizodéposition au bilan de C dans le sol, les interactions entre la nature biochimique des rhizodépôts et l'activité biologique des sols nécessitent d'être approfondies.

Ph.d.-afhandling. Den Kongelige Veterinær- og Landbohøjskole, 2002. / Haves også i trykt udg.

Genetic material of Lithuanian origin varieties, breeding lines and wild ecotypes representing P. pratense, P. bertolonii and P. phleoides species were studied for the most important agro-morphological and feeding value indicators as well as at the genetic level employing different biochemical–molecular markers. The water stress experiment clearly demonstrated the existence of different levels of water stress response in Phleum species, suggesting that P. phleoides might have evolved under conditions of limited water availability. “Blind” mapping by HRM was used successfully to map water stress response genes of timothy in the perennial ryegrass mapping population. In total, 12 putative water stress response genes were mapped in seven perennial ryegrass linkage groups. / Pasitelkus agromorfologinius, kokybės ir biocheminius – molekulinius metodus ištirtos lietuviškos kilmės pašarinių, žemaūgių bei stepinių motiejukų veislės, selekcinės linijos bei laukiniai ekotipai. Fiziologiniai sausros atsparumo tyrimų rezultatai įrodė, kad stepiniai motiejukai turi geriau išvystytą atsparumo sausrai mechanizmą. Pirmą kartą motiejukuose aptikti ekspresuojami atsparumo sausrai kandidatiniai genai HRM metodu sužymėti daugiametės svidrės genolapyje.

Perennial ryegrass (PRG, Lolium perenne) is a hardy cool-season grass that is infected with the endophytic fungus Neotyphodium lolii, which enables the plant to be insect repellant and drought resistant, lowering the use of insecticides and fertilizers. However, this fungus produces the compound lolitrem B (LB, m/z 686.4) which causes the tremorgenic neurotoxicity syndrome 'ryegrass staggers' in livestock consuming forage which contains <2000 ppb LB. Ergovaline (EV, m/z 534) is a vasoconstrictor normally associated with tall fescue (Festuca arudinacea), but has also been found in endophyte-infected PRG. Past research has shown a strong linear correlation between levels of LB and EV in PRG. The purpose of this study was to examine the linear relationship between EV and LB in feces and determine common metabolites. To accomplish this, four groups of steers (n=6/group) consumed endophyte- infected PRG over 70 days consumed the following averages of LB and EV: group I 2254ppb LB/633 ppb EV; group II 1554ppb LB/ 373ppb EV, group III 1011ppb LB/259ppb EV, and group IV 246ppb LB/<100ppb EV. Group I in week 4 was inadvertently given a washout period at which time the steers consumed the amount of LB and EV given to group IV (control). Both feed and feces samples were extracted using difference solid phase extraction methods and quantified by HPLC-fluorescence for LB and EV. Concentrations of EV and LB obtained through HPLC-fluorescence in both PRG and feces showed a linear relationship. Additional screening for metabolites was conducted LC-MS/MS and showed possible oxidation and reduction metabolites for both toxins. / Graduation date: 2013

This thesis defines digestion kinetics for perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), which is the main component of diets fed to dairy cows in New Zealand. Chemical composition and digestion kinetics were measured in fresh minced ryegrass as it matured and leaf, stem and inflorescence of several grass species. In sacco and in vitro incubations were used to define rates of degradation and nutrient release. Two short-term grazing trials were used to evaluate contrasting silages as supplements for cows fed restricted amounts of summer pasture. The minced preparation of ryegrass resulted in a similar distribution of dry matter (DM) between particle size fraction and rumen digesta from cows fed pasture. Mincing released 0.46 – 0.80 of crude protein into the soluble fraction, with highest proportions for mature grasses which had low CP concentrations (about 8 g CP/100 g DM). In contrast, the majority of fibre remained in the insoluble fraction but rates of degradation (k) approximately halved as grass matured. In vitro yield of VFA was similar for immature and mature minced ryegrass (after 12 hours VFA was equivalent to about 30% of DM), even though ammonia concentration declined to very low values for stem and mature grass. This suggests the rapid initial microbial growth was able to sustain a high level of DM degradation to VFA with mature grass. The summer pasture used for silage supplementation was of uncharacteristically good quality so the expected contrasts between maize, pasture, sulla (Hedysarum coronarium), lotus (Lotus corniculatus) and sulla/maize silage mixtures were less than expected. Milk responses to lotus silage supplements were greater than other silages (e.g.: 290 g milksolids from 54 MJ ME by lotus versus 110 g milksolids from about 50 MJ ME supplied by other silages). Pasture substitution was low (0.06 – 0.33). The Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) was chosen for evaluation of cow trial data because it uses feed degradation parameters as input variables to estimate nutrient supply. Model prediction of milk yield matched observed values when cows maintained liveweight. Milk yield was underestimated at low intakes and overestimated at high intakes because no allowance is made for nutrient partitioning between milk production and liveweight change.

A greater than 10-fold increase in Canada goose (Branta canadensis) populations over the past several years has resulted in concerns over grazing impacts on grass seed production in the mid-Willamette Valley, Oregon. This study was designed to develop methods to quantify and statistically analyze goose-grazing impacts on seed yields of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). Yield-mapping-system equipped combines, incorporating global positioning system (GPS) technology, were used to measure and map yields. Image processing of ground-level photography to estimate crop cover and other relevant observations were spatially located via GPS to establish spatial-temporal goose grazing patterns. We sampled each field semi-monthly from mid-winter through spring. Spatially located yield data, soils information, exclosure locations, and grazing patterns were integrated via geographical information system (GIS) technology. To avoid concerns about autocorrelation, a bootstrapping procedure for subsampling spatially contiguous seed yield data was used to organize the data for appropriate use of analysis of variance. The procedure was used to evaluate grazing impacts on seed yield for areas of fields with different soils and with differential timing and intensity of goose grazing activity. We also used a standard paired-plot procedure, involving exclosures and associated plots available for grazing. The combination of spatially explicit photography and yield mapping, integrated with GIS, proved effective in establishing cause-and-effect relationships between goose grazing and seed yield differences. Exclosures were essential for providing nongrazed controls. Both statistical approaches were effective in documenting goose-grazing impacts. Paired-plots were restricted by small size and few numbers and did not capture grazing impacts as effectively as comparison of larger areas to exclosures. Bootstrapping to subsample larger areas of yield for comparison was an effective method of avoiding autocorrelation of data while better representing impacts within a field. Occasional yield increases, ranging from 1 to 5 percent, were recorded following goose grazing. Goose grazing generally resulted in seed yield reductions, ranging up to 20 percent. Later and more intensive grazing tended to increase yield reductions. Newly seeded tall fescue tended to be the most sensitive to grazing. Established perennial ryegrass tended to be more resilient. / Graduation date: 2003

Soil contamination with heavy metals is a problem of worldwide concern that is still unsolved. The analysis of the current methods of soil cleaning from heavy metals leads to conclusions that phytoremediation, i.e. soil decontamination by using plants, is one of the best methods. Although this method has not received a wide application yet and possibilities of its application are still being analysed, it is one of the most prospective soil cleaning methods due to low cost and a rather efficient cleaning of the upper surface of soil. Three kinds of Poaceae f. Species – Lolium perenne L., Poa pratensis L. and Festuca pratensis Huds. – have been chosen in this work for decontaminating soil from heavy metals. These plants were grown under artificial laboratory conditions in soil which was once and periodically contaminated with heavy metals. It was established that it is the Lolium perenne L. that most efficiently removes heavy metals and cleans soil. The results of experiments show that the selected grassy plants (perennial ryegrass, meadow-grass and fescue-grass) efficiently clean soil from heavy metals (copper, lead, manganese, zinc, nickel and chromium) when soil contains both low (0.5–120 mg/kg) and high (up to 6,850 mg/kg) concentrations of these metals. Since the perennial ryegrass absorbs the highest amount of heavy metals, the highest efficiency of soil cleaning is achieved using this plant, therefore, 80 % of the mixture of grassy plants was formed of the perennial... [to full text] / Dirvožemio tarša sunkiaisiais metalais visame pasaulyje aktuali problema iki šiol neturinti universalaus sprendimo. Išanalizavus šiuo metu dirvožemio valymui nuo sunkiųjų metalų naudojamus metodus, galima daryti išvadą, kad vienas iš tinkamiausių metodų yra fitoremediacija, t. y. dirvožemio valymas nuo teršalų panaudojant augalus. Šis metodas dar nėra plačiai taikomas ir jo taikymo galimybės dar tik tiriamos tačiau, tai vienas iš perspektyviausių dirvožemio valymo metodų dėl sąlyginai mažos kainos ir pakankamai efektyvaus paviršinio dirvožemio sluoksnio išvalymo. Atliktų eksperimentinių tyrimų rezultatai parodė, kad pasirinkta žolinė augalija – daugiametė svidrė, pievinė miglė ir tikrasis eraičinas efektyviai valo dirvožemį nuo sunkiųjų metalų (vario, švino, mangano, cinko, nikelio, chromo) tiek esant mažoms (0,5–120 mg/kg), tiek didelėms (iki 6850 mg/kg) jų koncentracijoms dirvožemyje. Kadangi daugiausiai sunkiųjų metalų iš dirvožemio sorbuoja svidrė, tai dirvožemio valymo efektyvumas naudojant šią žolinės augalijos rūšį yra efektyviausias ir sudarant žolinės augalijos mišinį 80  sudarė svidrė ir po 10  eraičinas bei miglė. Eksperimentų metu tirta, kaip sunkiųjų metalų mišinio koncentracijos kenkia hidrobiontams ir nustatyta, kad didinat sunkiųjų metalų mišinio koncentracijas (iki 0,198–5,12 g/l) jos tampa letalinėmis vaivorykštiniam upėtakiui, tuo pačiu ir kitiems vandens gyvūnams.Pagal tyrimų su vaivorykštiniais upėtakiais rezultatus nustatyta, kad stebimų... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]