Effect of Defoliation Management on Water-Soluble Carbohydrate Energy Reserves, Dry Matter Yields, and Herbage Quality of Tall Fescue

Donaghy, DJ; Turner, L. R.; Adamczewski, K.

doi:10.2134/agrojnl2007.0016

Cited by 24 publications

(25 citation statements)

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“…increased capacity for photosynthesis and WSC synthesis and decreased WSC mobilization) in LC plants were insufficient to overcome the initial repetitive carbon depletion. This is consistent with previous studies, where reductions in biomass accumulation were also evident following carbon reserve depletion in temperate pasture grasses [10], [26], [27].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

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Plants Modify Biological Processes to Ensure Survival following Carbon Depletion: A Lolium perenne Model

Lee

Sathish²,

Donaghy

et al. 2010

PLoS ONE

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BackgroundPlants, due to their immobility, have evolved mechanisms allowing them to adapt to multiple environmental and management conditions. Short-term undesirable conditions (e.g. moisture deficit, cold temperatures) generally reduce photosynthetic carbon supply while increasing soluble carbohydrate accumulation. It is not known, however, what strategies plants may use in the long-term to adapt to situations resulting in net carbon depletion (i.e. reduced photosynthetic carbon supply and carbohydrate accumulation). In addition, many transcriptomic experiments have typically been undertaken under laboratory conditions; therefore, long-term acclimation strategies that plants use in natural environments are not well understood.Methodology/Principal FindingsPerennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) was used as a model plant to define whether plants adapt to repetitive carbon depletion and to further elucidate their long-term acclimation mechanisms. Transcriptome changes in both lamina and stubble tissues of field-grown plants with depleted carbon reserves were characterised using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The RT-qPCR data for select key genes indicated that plants reduced fructan degradation, and increased photosynthesis and fructan synthesis capacities following carbon depletion. This acclimatory response was not sufficient to prevent a reduction (P<0.001) in net biomass accumulation, but ensured that the plant survived.ConclusionsAdaptations of plants with depleted carbon reserves resulted in reduced post-defoliation carbon mobilization and earlier replenishment of carbon reserves, thereby ensuring survival and continued growth. These findings will help pave the way to improve plant biomass production, for either grazing livestock or biofuel purposes.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 93%

“…This was consistent with previous research using a number of different pasture grasses [9], [10], [11]. After defoliation, photosynthetic energy supply is generally inadequate for growth and maintenance; therefore, WSC reserves stored in the stubble of pasture grasses are mobilized [12], [13].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Plants Modify Biological Processes to Ensure Survival following Carbon Depletion: A Lolium perenne Model

Lee

Sathish²,

Donaghy

et al. 2010

PLoS ONE

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“…The defoliation frequency was based on leaf stage and defined as the time taken for full emergence of a new leaf per tiller following a defoliation event, as proposed by Donaghy et al (2008). The defoliation frequency was based on leaf stage and defined as the time taken for full emergence of a new leaf per tiller following a defoliation event, as proposed by Donaghy et al (2008).…”

Section: Experimental Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in water‐soluble carbohydrates relative to crude protein in perennial ryegrass in response to defoliation frequency

2017

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The water‐soluble carbohydrate relative to crude protein (WSC:CP) ratio in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) has been postulated as a useful indicator of nitrogen (N) use efficiency in grazing dairy cows. A mini‐sward study was conducted to quantify the effects of defoliation frequency based on leaf stage on the CP fractions and the WSC:CP ratio in perennial ryegrass. Defoliation frequency corresponded to the time taken by ryegrass to develop 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5 and 5.0 leaves per tiller. Plant growth dynamics and plant nutritive parameters related to N use efficiency were measured. The results showed that perennial ryegrass plants that were defoliated more frequently had reduced herbage mass accumulation, leaf elongation rate and total lamina length than plants defoliated less frequently in both growth cycles. Extending the defoliation frequency from the one‐ to five‐leaf stage resulted in a decline in WSC content, an increase in CP and buffer soluble CP and a decline in the WSC:CP ratio. Given the defoliation frequencies tested here, we concluded that plants defoliated too frequently have a potential risk of low N efficiency use by grazing animals, due to a low WSC:CP ratio. The best nutritional quality balance occurs when plants were defoliated at the 3.0‐leaf stage during the first growth cycle and at the 2.0‐leaf stage during the second growth cycle.

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“…Secondly, the content of water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) increases during regrowth [46,[50][51][52] with positive implications for the WSC:CP ratio of herbage and, hence, the efficiency of utilisation of protein in the rumen [53]. Furthermore, the expression of higher WSC content in cultivars bred for this trait is aided by a longer regrowth interval [54,55].…”

Section: Pasture Qualitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Using Ecophysiology to Improve Farm Efficiency: Application in Temperate Dairy Grazing Systems

Chapman

2016

Agriculture

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Information on the physiological ecology of grass-dominant pastures has made a substantial contribution to the development of practices that optimise the amount of feed harvested by grazing animals in temperate livestock systems. However, the contribution of ecophysiology is often under-stated, and the need for further research in this field is sometimes questioned. The challenge for ecophysiolgists, therefore, is to demonstrate how ecophysiological knowledge can help solve significant problems looming for grassland farming in temperate regions while also removing constraints to improved productivity from grazed pastures. To do this, ecophysiological research needs to align more closely with related disciplines, particularly genetics/genomics, agronomy, and farming systems, including systems modelling. This review considers how ecophysiological information has contributed to the development of grazing management practices in the New Zealand dairy industry, an industry that is generally regarded as a world leader in the efficiency with which pasture is grown and utilised for animal production. Even so, there are clear opportunities for further gains in pasture utilisation through the refinement of grazing management practices and the harnessing of those practices to improved pasture plant cultivars with phenotypes that facilitate greater grazing efficiency. Meanwhile, sub-optimal persistence of new pastures continues to constrain productivity in some environments. The underlying plant and population processes associated with this have not been clearly defined. Ecophysiological information, placed in the context of trait identification, grounded in well-designed agronomic studies and linked to plant improvements programmes, is required to address this.

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Effect of Defoliation Management on Water-Soluble Carbohydrate Energy Reserves, Dry Matter Yields, and Herbage Quality of Tall Fescue

Cited by 24 publications

References 0 publications

Plants Modify Biological Processes to Ensure Survival following Carbon Depletion: A Lolium perenne Model

Plants Modify Biological Processes to Ensure Survival following Carbon Depletion: A Lolium perenne Model

Changes in water‐soluble carbohydrates relative to crude protein in perennial ryegrass in response to defoliation frequency

Using Ecophysiology to Improve Farm Efficiency: Application in Temperate Dairy Grazing Systems

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