Effect of spatial position on twig resource allocation of Fengdan (Paeonia ostii)

Abstract

Understanding how a plant allocates biomass for reproduction and the effect of location position on twigs' biomass partitioning provides essential information on how to maximise fruit yields through pruning. Fengdan (Paeonia ostii) is a variety of oil Peony newly developed in China. In this paper, the pattern of biomass allocation and allometric growth of the modules within twig (fruit twigs) of five populations of Fengdan were investigated by using standardised major axis (SMA) analyses. The ANOVA results showed that the biomass of stem, seed, husk and fruit per twig significantly varied among populations and among twigs growing at different positions within an individual plant. The top twig had the largest stem and fruit biomass. Twig showed an allometric growth relationship between reproduction and growth (SMA slope b ≠ 1). An obvious trade‐off was found between seed number and 100‐seed weight in fruits. These findings demonstrate that the seated position of the Fengdan twig significantly influences its resource allocation pattern and fruit (seed) yield, implying the efficiency of creating a suitable growth environment and optimising tree architecture in increasing oil Peony yield.

Effects of NSC in different organs and at different growth stages on the yield of oil peony Fengdan with different ages

“…The excavated plants were washed with water to remove the soil and brought back to the laboratory. In the laboratory, the plants were separated into the roots, stems (including main stems and branches older than 1-year-old), twigs (annual branches, almost all set fruits (Wang et al, 2022)), leaves, and fruits (shells and seeds). All plant materials were vigorously brushed to remove soil particles, cut in small pieces, and oven-dried to a constant weight at 65°C.…”

“…During the adult stage of Fengdan, nearly all the annual branches (fresh twigs) set fruits that develop from a single flower on top of a twig. The 3-5 axillaries buds at the bottom of the twigs can survive the winter and develop into new twigs in the next year, forming the new canopy of Fengdan in the coming year (Wang et al, 2022). Since Fengdan was listed as a new woody oil crop by the Chinese government in 2013, several studies have investigated the roles of biomass allocation (Ma et al, 2018), the nutrient elements (Xu et al, 2021), and twig location (Wang et al, 2022) on yield.…”