Vegetative Propagation of Schizachyrium tenerum (Poaceae) Under Different Substrates and Environments

Abstract

The Cerrado (Brazilian Savanna) biome suffers intense degradation due to several anthropic activities and its recovery is extremely important for the restoration of environmental quality. Therefore, the present study tested the survival and growth of seedlings of the grass Schizachyrium tenerum produced by the division of clumps. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse using Reddish Oxisol, dystrophic of "cerrado sensu stricto" and Litholic Neosol dystrophic of quartzitic rupestrian grassland with and without the addition of limestone and NPK. Survival of S. tenerum was also compared between being grown in a greenhouse and directly in the field in full sun. Seedlings of S. tenerum had greater survival, total growth, number of tillers and accumulation of biomass when cultivated in Reddish Oxisol and Reddish Oxisol with limestone added than in the other treatments. Seedling survival was three times greater when grown in a greenhouse than in full sun.

Fire has contrasting effects on the survival, growth, and reproduction of Cerrado grasses with differing regenerative strategies

“…Thus, ensuring the establishment of species with strong vegetative regeneration should be a focus in restoration projects, but their limited seed quality constrains their use in direct seeding. For these species, techniques such as topsoil transfer, translocation of plant material, sod production, and clonal propagation (Figueiredo et al., 2018, 2023; Pilon et al., 2019; Sena et al., 2021) should be employed, as they take advantage of the strong vegetative regeneration inherent in specialist grasses. Notably, Trachypogon spicatus is a good candidate for these approaches because of its strong clonal ability and rapid growth (Silva & Ataroff, 1985; Pilon et al., 2021b).…”

Native grass sod and plug production as an alternative technique to restore neotropical rupestrian grassland after mining

“…Although S. metallicolus germinated and established in the post-mining substrate only, the mixture of post-mining and Further studies should evaluate if using a more fertile substrate would promote the production of larger seedlings in a shorter period without reducing plant establishment and growth rates when planted in degraded areas. In the production of grass seedlings, some grasses from dystrophic soils respond positively to fertilization (Oliveira et al 2021;Sena et al 2021). In contrast, some species adapted to dystrophic soils may have their development impaired or do not respond to fertilization (Lambers et al 2013;Bahia et al 2020).…”

“…Among the other grass production techniques already studied (Oliveira et al 2021; Sena et al 2021) an innovative technique is the sod production, similar to the ornamental grass sod (turf) production (Lima et al 2010). Sod is produced by sowing, and after emerging, it can be divided into smaller pieces referred hereafter as plugs.…”

EMERGENCE, INITIAL GROWTH, AND SEEDLING QUALITY OF Eremanthus incanus: SUBSIDIES FOR GENETIC BREEDING AND CONSERVATION

“…These species tend to invest more energy in the growth of the root system, making them less susceptible to water stress (Saboya and Borghetti, 2012) and possibly useful for restoring degraded sites (Gomes et al, 2015). Thus, root elongation promotes greater soil aggregation and better capture of limited resources, such as water and nutrients, for the maintenance and development of plants under normally stressful environmental conditions (Sena et al, 2021). The partition of biomass between root and shoot is often related to plants' ability to compensate for limited resources in the environment.…”