Publication Date
1985
Location
Kyoto Japan
Description
Intensive management of tropical grass seed crops aims to maximize the number of tillers producing inflorescences and to reduce the spread of maturity between individual tillers. Success depends on the number of tillers, synchronization of their development, the proportion that survive, and the percentage which produce inflorescences. These aspects are reported for established seed crops of 13 cultivars of six perennial grass species grown in replicated field experiments near Gympie in southern Queensland, Australia. Maximum tillering occurred during early vegetative growth. Tiller density varied for different grasses and generally began to decline before inflorescences emerged, so that substantial numbers of tillers died without completing development. Early-formed basal tillers are the most important for seed production as there is a considerable delay before tillering activity is renewed during the reproductive phase. Because of the time lag before they developed, aerial tillers (i.e. axillary shoots produced on basal tillers with an emerged or emerging inflorescence) contributed little to mature seed crops. The strong internal control of tillering in "leafy" cultivars ( e.g. Bothriochloa insculpta cv. Hatch, Setaria sphacelata var. sericea cv. Narok) suggests that fewer, rather than more, tillers are required to improve seed production. In contrast, tillering in some other grasses (e.g. Paspalum plicatulum cv. Bryan, Setaria porphyrantha cv. Inverell) was strongly influenced by external conditions, and increased early tillering (e.g. through closer rows) could improve crop synchronization without detriment to seed yield.
Citation
Loch, D S., "Tiller Development in Relation to Seed Production of Tropical Grasses" (1985). IGC Proceedings (1985-2023). 29.
(URL: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1985/ses2/29)
Included in
Agricultural Science Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Plant Biology Commons, Plant Pathology Commons, Soil Science Commons, Weed Science Commons
Tiller Development in Relation to Seed Production of Tropical Grasses
Kyoto Japan
Intensive management of tropical grass seed crops aims to maximize the number of tillers producing inflorescences and to reduce the spread of maturity between individual tillers. Success depends on the number of tillers, synchronization of their development, the proportion that survive, and the percentage which produce inflorescences. These aspects are reported for established seed crops of 13 cultivars of six perennial grass species grown in replicated field experiments near Gympie in southern Queensland, Australia. Maximum tillering occurred during early vegetative growth. Tiller density varied for different grasses and generally began to decline before inflorescences emerged, so that substantial numbers of tillers died without completing development. Early-formed basal tillers are the most important for seed production as there is a considerable delay before tillering activity is renewed during the reproductive phase. Because of the time lag before they developed, aerial tillers (i.e. axillary shoots produced on basal tillers with an emerged or emerging inflorescence) contributed little to mature seed crops. The strong internal control of tillering in "leafy" cultivars ( e.g. Bothriochloa insculpta cv. Hatch, Setaria sphacelata var. sericea cv. Narok) suggests that fewer, rather than more, tillers are required to improve seed production. In contrast, tillering in some other grasses (e.g. Paspalum plicatulum cv. Bryan, Setaria porphyrantha cv. Inverell) was strongly influenced by external conditions, and increased early tillering (e.g. through closer rows) could improve crop synchronization without detriment to seed yield.
