Above and Belowground Relative Yield Total of Clover–Ryegrass Mixtures Exceed One in Wet and Dry Years
Grassland mixtures hold the potential for increasing biomass and productivity. In a field experiment, monocultures and mixtures of eight white clover (<i>Trifolium repens</i> L.) genotypes and perennial ryegrass (<i>Lolium perenne</i> L.) were analyzed over three years (2015,...
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MDPI AG
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Agriculture |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/11/3/206 |
| _version_ | 1797415226160709632 |
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| author | Inga Dirks Juliane Streit Catharina Meinen |
| author_facet | Inga Dirks Juliane Streit Catharina Meinen |
| author_sort | Inga Dirks |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Grassland mixtures hold the potential for increasing biomass and productivity. In a field experiment, monocultures and mixtures of eight white clover (<i>Trifolium repens</i> L.) genotypes and perennial ryegrass (<i>Lolium perenne</i> L.) were analyzed over three years (2015, 2016, and 2018) for their species-specific aboveground and belowground biomass. Roots were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to identify species-specific root mass, vertical distribution, and belowground relative yield total (RYT). Aboveground biomass decreased strongly from 2015 to 2018. Aboveground and belowground RYT were always significantly higher than one. Aboveground biomass overyielded in 2016 and 2018 compared to monocultures. Monocultures of perennial ryegrass displayed a significantly higher proportion of roots in shallow soil layers than white clover in two of the three examined years. In mixtures, these differences in vertical root distribution between both species were not present and perennial ryegrass, and white clover occupied similar vertical niches in 2015 and 2016. Interestingly, in the dry year 2018, white clover had a higher proportion of roots in shallow soil layers than perennial ryegrass in mixtures. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:45:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-15ef1935c5c94ffe87d522e9b134e980 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0472 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T05:45:47Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj.art-15ef1935c5c94ffe87d522e9b134e9802023-12-03T12:21:12ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722021-03-0111320610.3390/agriculture11030206Above and Belowground Relative Yield Total of Clover–Ryegrass Mixtures Exceed One in Wet and Dry YearsInga Dirks0Juliane Streit1Catharina Meinen2Department of Crop Sciences, Division Agronomy/Crop Science, Georg-August-University of Goettingen, 37073 Goettingen, GermanySeed Quality Research, Strube Research GmbH & Co. KG. Hauptstraße 1, 38387 Söllingen, GermanyDepartment of Crop Sciences, Division Agronomy/Crop Science, Georg-August-University of Goettingen, 37073 Goettingen, GermanyGrassland mixtures hold the potential for increasing biomass and productivity. In a field experiment, monocultures and mixtures of eight white clover (<i>Trifolium repens</i> L.) genotypes and perennial ryegrass (<i>Lolium perenne</i> L.) were analyzed over three years (2015, 2016, and 2018) for their species-specific aboveground and belowground biomass. Roots were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy to identify species-specific root mass, vertical distribution, and belowground relative yield total (RYT). Aboveground biomass decreased strongly from 2015 to 2018. Aboveground and belowground RYT were always significantly higher than one. Aboveground biomass overyielded in 2016 and 2018 compared to monocultures. Monocultures of perennial ryegrass displayed a significantly higher proportion of roots in shallow soil layers than white clover in two of the three examined years. In mixtures, these differences in vertical root distribution between both species were not present and perennial ryegrass, and white clover occupied similar vertical niches in 2015 and 2016. Interestingly, in the dry year 2018, white clover had a higher proportion of roots in shallow soil layers than perennial ryegrass in mixtures.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/11/3/206intercroppingrootsryegrasswhite cloverpasturevertical root distribution |
| spellingShingle | Inga Dirks Juliane Streit Catharina Meinen Above and Belowground Relative Yield Total of Clover–Ryegrass Mixtures Exceed One in Wet and Dry Years Agriculture intercropping roots ryegrass white clover pasture vertical root distribution |
| title | Above and Belowground Relative Yield Total of Clover–Ryegrass Mixtures Exceed One in Wet and Dry Years |
| title_full | Above and Belowground Relative Yield Total of Clover–Ryegrass Mixtures Exceed One in Wet and Dry Years |
| title_fullStr | Above and Belowground Relative Yield Total of Clover–Ryegrass Mixtures Exceed One in Wet and Dry Years |
| title_full_unstemmed | Above and Belowground Relative Yield Total of Clover–Ryegrass Mixtures Exceed One in Wet and Dry Years |
| title_short | Above and Belowground Relative Yield Total of Clover–Ryegrass Mixtures Exceed One in Wet and Dry Years |
| title_sort | above and belowground relative yield total of clover ryegrass mixtures exceed one in wet and dry years |
| topic | intercropping roots ryegrass white clover pasture vertical root distribution |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/11/3/206 |
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