Publication Date
1989
Description
In temperate regions of the world, white clover (Trifolium repens L.) persists in permanent pastures by vegetative reproduction (Chapman 1987). Thus stolon branching is vital for the perennation of the species. There is, however, no information available on physiological relationships between branches and parent stolons, or on the degree of physiological integration of whole clover plants. Clover spreads laterally by stolon extension and in extremely heterogenous environments, like grazed pastures, parts of a single plant may encounter different levels of stress (defoliation, nutrient levels, shading). Physiological integration (eg. mutual exchange of carbohydrate between branches and parent stolon) may allow buffering of stresses within the whole plant, and thus determine to an extent the population biology and stability of the species. The experiments reported here were conducted to quantify physiological interactions between parent stolons and branches, and examine the possible consequence for growth of other organs of greater carbon partitioning to branches in highly-branched plants.
Citation
Chapman, D F.; Robson, M J.; and Snaydon, R W., "Interactions Between Parent Stolons and Branches in Assimilate Partitioning in White Clover (Trifolium repens L.)" (2025). IGC Proceedings (1989-2023). 18.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/igc/1989/session9/18
Included in
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Interactions Between Parent Stolons and Branches in Assimilate Partitioning in White Clover (Trifolium repens L.)
In temperate regions of the world, white clover (Trifolium repens L.) persists in permanent pastures by vegetative reproduction (Chapman 1987). Thus stolon branching is vital for the perennation of the species. There is, however, no information available on physiological relationships between branches and parent stolons, or on the degree of physiological integration of whole clover plants. Clover spreads laterally by stolon extension and in extremely heterogenous environments, like grazed pastures, parts of a single plant may encounter different levels of stress (defoliation, nutrient levels, shading). Physiological integration (eg. mutual exchange of carbohydrate between branches and parent stolon) may allow buffering of stresses within the whole plant, and thus determine to an extent the population biology and stability of the species. The experiments reported here were conducted to quantify physiological interactions between parent stolons and branches, and examine the possible consequence for growth of other organs of greater carbon partitioning to branches in highly-branched plants.
