Theme 1: Grassland Ecology
Description
Plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.; PL) is becoming an increasingly important component of New Zealand dairy pastures because of its ability to reduce nitrogen losses to the environment. However, widespread suggestions of its poor persistence, have led to industry concern over its suitability for dairy systems. Anecdotal evidence suggests that PL does not cope well in waterlogged soil, yet there is little scientific literature relevant to this issue. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the impact of waterlogging stress on PL growth and survival. In a glasshouse, the performance of PL under waterlogging was evaluated against perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.; PRG), the predominant plant species in New Zealand dairy pastures. Three watering regimes were applied to PL and PRG plants in plastic pots: control (optimal watering), wet (soil at field capacity), and waterlogged (water table 5cm below the soil surface) for 39 days, before 27 days of recovery under control watering. Plant dry mass (DM) harvests were made on days 22, 39 and 66. The leaf DM of PL was reduced by the waterlogging treatment by 37% and 38% respectively during the treatment and recovery periods, in comparison with the control. In contrast, the leaf DM of PRG plants was only reduced by 18% and 3% by the waterlogging treatment during the treatment and recovery periods respectively, and so PRG produced 28% and 45% more leaf DM under waterlogging than PL, during the treatment and recovery periods, respectively. The root DM of PRG was 33% higher under waterlogging in comparison with the control at day 39, while PL root DM was not significantly affected by water treatment. Whilst PL growth appears to be sensitive to waterlogging stress, the survival of PL under waterlogged conditions suggests that it possesses some waterlogging tolerance strategies. PRG exhibited an enhanced ability for coping under, and recovering from waterlogging stress, which may have been associated with the maintenance of root growth under waterlogging. These findings suggest that PL growth may be somewhat limited in periodically waterlogged pastures, and the enhanced ability of PRG to cope with waterlogging stress, could provide it with a competitive advantage over PL under such conditions, should they coexist in a mixed sward.
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) Growth Islimited Under Waterlogging
Plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.; PL) is becoming an increasingly important component of New Zealand dairy pastures because of its ability to reduce nitrogen losses to the environment. However, widespread suggestions of its poor persistence, have led to industry concern over its suitability for dairy systems. Anecdotal evidence suggests that PL does not cope well in waterlogged soil, yet there is little scientific literature relevant to this issue. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the impact of waterlogging stress on PL growth and survival. In a glasshouse, the performance of PL under waterlogging was evaluated against perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.; PRG), the predominant plant species in New Zealand dairy pastures. Three watering regimes were applied to PL and PRG plants in plastic pots: control (optimal watering), wet (soil at field capacity), and waterlogged (water table 5cm below the soil surface) for 39 days, before 27 days of recovery under control watering. Plant dry mass (DM) harvests were made on days 22, 39 and 66. The leaf DM of PL was reduced by the waterlogging treatment by 37% and 38% respectively during the treatment and recovery periods, in comparison with the control. In contrast, the leaf DM of PRG plants was only reduced by 18% and 3% by the waterlogging treatment during the treatment and recovery periods respectively, and so PRG produced 28% and 45% more leaf DM under waterlogging than PL, during the treatment and recovery periods, respectively. The root DM of PRG was 33% higher under waterlogging in comparison with the control at day 39, while PL root DM was not significantly affected by water treatment. Whilst PL growth appears to be sensitive to waterlogging stress, the survival of PL under waterlogged conditions suggests that it possesses some waterlogging tolerance strategies. PRG exhibited an enhanced ability for coping under, and recovering from waterlogging stress, which may have been associated with the maintenance of root growth under waterlogging. These findings suggest that PL growth may be somewhat limited in periodically waterlogged pastures, and the enhanced ability of PRG to cope with waterlogging stress, could provide it with a competitive advantage over PL under such conditions, should they coexist in a mixed sward.
