Carbon Metabolism in Forage Plants

Time of Day for Harvest Affects the Fermentation Parameters, Bacterial Community, and Metabolic Characteristics of Sorghum-Sudangrass Hybrid Silage

“…Compared to AM-cut SSG, M- and PM-cut SSG had higher ( P < 0.05) DM contents, which could be linked to the loss of morning dew. SSG accumulates sucrose as the principal reserve carbohydrate ( 16 ). It was accountable for the increases in WSC contents with the delay of harvest time.…”

Subsequent drought and re‐watering events cause a shift in productivity and nutritive value of alfalfa and hybrid fescue plant

“…Starch concentration increased by the same pattern as WSC in alfalfa, with significant upregulation after drought events and the second recovery (Figure 3b); however, different effect on the content of starch was detected for hybrid fescue. One of its reasons could be the different form of carbohydrates accumulation, because, according to Volenec and Nelson (2020), the primary form of non‐structural carbohydrates in cold‐season grasses is fructan in roots, which concentration was not determined in our study. On the other hand, despite negligible initial drought effect on starch, its concentration significantly increased after the first recovery and reduced after the second one in fescue (Figure 3f).…”

“…On the other hand, despite negligible initial drought effect on starch, its concentration significantly increased after the first recovery and reduced after the second one in fescue (Figure 3f). Reduction in the pool of storage carbohydrates (fructan and/or starch) was also observed in drought‐treated sorghum (Sarshad et al, 2021) as well as perennial ryegrass and tall fescue (Karsten & MacAdam, 2001), bluegrass (Yang et al, 2013) during recovery after drought and it was associated with the usage of storage carbohydrates for re‐growth and post‐drought recovery as well as hydrolysation of polymers for osmotic adjustment (Volenec & Nelson, 2020). Therefore, reduced starch content after the second recovery in hybrid fescue (Figure 3f) might be responsible for inhibited growth, but simultaneously increased content of WSC and drought‐resistance during the same period of re‐watering (Figure 2c).…”

“…Increase in WSC content was also observed in drought‐treated crops and forage plants, such as ryegrass and fescue (Fariaszewska et al, 2020), sorghum (Sarshad, Talei, Torabi, Rafiei, & Nejatkhah, 2021), bluegrass (Yang, Xu, Yu, DaCosta, & Huang, 2013) as well as different legume species (Küchenmeister, Küchenmeister, Kayser, Wrage‐Mönnig, & Isselstein, 2013). Accumulation of WSC is one of the most important mechanisms of maintaining tissue osmotic potential under water shortage and is related to higher plant tolerance to drought (Volenec & Nelson, 2020). Apart from significant increase of WSC in alfalfa and hybrid fescue after subsequent drought events, we have also detected that significantly upregulated level of WSC remained after the second recovery in both plant species (by ~50%, p < .05) (Figure 3a,b), indicating plant acclimatisation and increased forage quality after subsequent periods of drought and recovery at least with respect to WSC content in fodder.…”

“…Starch is an important part of non‐structural carbohydrates, serving as a major source of plant energy reserve, especially in legumes (Volenec & Nelson, 2020; Yang et al, 2013). Starch concentration increased by the same pattern as WSC in alfalfa, with significant upregulation after drought events and the second recovery (Figure 3b); however, different effect on the content of starch was detected for hybrid fescue.…”