Natural reseeding of Lotus tenuis (Wald et. Kit). Effects of defoliation on reproductive attributes
Lotus tenuis is a herbaceous forage legume highly valued by livestock producers. This species has no vegetative propagation and seed bank size, seedling establishment, plant survival and reproduction, are attributes of great importance for the maintenance and propagation of populations under different managements. The objective of the present work was to analyze in an experimental field used for L. tenuis seed production: a) the size of the seed bank and b) the establishment and survival of the seedlings. Under defoliation conditions: c) plant survival, d) flowers and pods dynamics, and e) vegetative and reproductive biomass production were determined. We estimated that the soil seed bank was of 41,308 seeds/m². Maximum number of emerged seedlings was 49% of the soil seed bank. Seedling and plant mortality were recorded, due to vegetative cutting and plant competition. Approximately 1% of the seedlings reached the plant stage. Dynamics of flowers and pods production were affected by defoliation. Cutting delayed reproductive organs production and some pods did not reach to mature, affecting seed yield. Calculus of potential seed yield showed that, under the conditions of this work, L. tenuis would not be able to compensate the effects of the defoliation, even if all pods had matured.
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Digital revista |
| Language: | spa |
| Published: |
Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales de la Universidad Nacional de La Plata
2018
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| Online Access: | https://revistas.unlp.edu.ar/revagro/article/view/7321 |
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