Functional Traits, Morphology, and Herbage Production of Vernalised and Non-Vernalised Chicory cv. Choice (<i>Cichorium intybus</i> L.) in Response to Defoliation Frequency and Height
Chicory (<i>Cichorium intybus</i> L.) used in pastoral systems has the attributes required of a forage species to reduce animal urinary nitrogen loading to soil, increase milk production, and enhance milk fatty acid profile to improve pastoral farm systems for matching increasing global...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2020-05-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/9/5/611 |
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| author | Mancoba C. Mangwe Racheal H. Bryant Cristian A. Moreno García Thomas M.R. Maxwell Pablo Gregorini |
| author_facet | Mancoba C. Mangwe Racheal H. Bryant Cristian A. Moreno García Thomas M.R. Maxwell Pablo Gregorini |
| author_sort | Mancoba C. Mangwe |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Chicory (<i>Cichorium intybus</i> L.) used in pastoral systems has the attributes required of a forage species to reduce animal urinary nitrogen loading to soil, increase milk production, and enhance milk fatty acid profile to improve pastoral farm systems for matching increasing global demand for dairy products and environmental standards of livestock systems. Greater adoption of chicory requires confidence in management decisions that can control risks to farm production, namely bolting after vernalisation or a decline in persistence of chicory swards, which have slowed its adoption in pastoral systems. We, therefore, measured functional traits, morphology and herbage production of chicory under irrigated field conditions before and after vernalisation in Canterbury, New Zealand. The experimental site was laid out in a complete randomized block design with four replications where two regrowth intervals and two defoliation heights were applied. Regrowth interval had a stronger influence over functional traits and herbage production than defoliation height, with more pronounced effects after vernalisation. Plants managed under shorter regrowth intervals had narrower roots with lower concentration of sugars than plants under longer intervals, which might compromise their longevity. In addition, plants managed under shorter intervals remained mostly vegetative with heavier and longer leaves, though with reduced photosynthetic capacity than those managed under longer intervals. The thermal time to initiate stem elongation in plants managed under longer intervals was ~274 growing degree-days, with a mean stem elongation rate increasing linearly at 1.4 ± 0.08 mm/growing degree-days. The key outcomes of this research quantify the growing degree-days to initiate stem elongation post vernalisation, which provides management directive for timing of defoliation of chicory in order to maintain feed quality for grazing livestock. Alternating frequent and infrequent defoliation regimes might be used to optimise vegetative growth, root reserves, and pasture persistence. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:54:12Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T19:54:12Z |
| publishDate | 2020-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-1801a2859d6c44ad9d6c201f6b5703362023-11-20T00:04:35ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472020-05-019561110.3390/plants9050611Functional Traits, Morphology, and Herbage Production of Vernalised and Non-Vernalised Chicory cv. Choice (<i>Cichorium intybus</i> L.) in Response to Defoliation Frequency and HeightMancoba C. Mangwe0Racheal H. Bryant1Cristian A. Moreno García2Thomas M.R. Maxwell3Pablo Gregorini4Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, PO Box 85084, Lincoln University, Lincoln 7647, Christchurch, New ZealandFaculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, PO Box 85084, Lincoln University, Lincoln 7647, Christchurch, New ZealandFaculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, PO Box 85084, Lincoln University, Lincoln 7647, Christchurch, New ZealandFaculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, PO Box 85084, Lincoln University, Lincoln 7647, Christchurch, New ZealandFaculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, PO Box 85084, Lincoln University, Lincoln 7647, Christchurch, New ZealandChicory (<i>Cichorium intybus</i> L.) used in pastoral systems has the attributes required of a forage species to reduce animal urinary nitrogen loading to soil, increase milk production, and enhance milk fatty acid profile to improve pastoral farm systems for matching increasing global demand for dairy products and environmental standards of livestock systems. Greater adoption of chicory requires confidence in management decisions that can control risks to farm production, namely bolting after vernalisation or a decline in persistence of chicory swards, which have slowed its adoption in pastoral systems. We, therefore, measured functional traits, morphology and herbage production of chicory under irrigated field conditions before and after vernalisation in Canterbury, New Zealand. The experimental site was laid out in a complete randomized block design with four replications where two regrowth intervals and two defoliation heights were applied. Regrowth interval had a stronger influence over functional traits and herbage production than defoliation height, with more pronounced effects after vernalisation. Plants managed under shorter regrowth intervals had narrower roots with lower concentration of sugars than plants under longer intervals, which might compromise their longevity. In addition, plants managed under shorter intervals remained mostly vegetative with heavier and longer leaves, though with reduced photosynthetic capacity than those managed under longer intervals. The thermal time to initiate stem elongation in plants managed under longer intervals was ~274 growing degree-days, with a mean stem elongation rate increasing linearly at 1.4 ± 0.08 mm/growing degree-days. The key outcomes of this research quantify the growing degree-days to initiate stem elongation post vernalisation, which provides management directive for timing of defoliation of chicory in order to maintain feed quality for grazing livestock. Alternating frequent and infrequent defoliation regimes might be used to optimise vegetative growth, root reserves, and pasture persistence.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/9/5/611<i>Cichorium intybus</i>pastoral systemsthermal timevernalisationherbage production |
| spellingShingle | Mancoba C. Mangwe Racheal H. Bryant Cristian A. Moreno García Thomas M.R. Maxwell Pablo Gregorini Functional Traits, Morphology, and Herbage Production of Vernalised and Non-Vernalised Chicory cv. Choice (<i>Cichorium intybus</i> L.) in Response to Defoliation Frequency and Height Plants <i>Cichorium intybus</i> pastoral systems thermal time vernalisation herbage production |
| title | Functional Traits, Morphology, and Herbage Production of Vernalised and Non-Vernalised Chicory cv. Choice (<i>Cichorium intybus</i> L.) in Response to Defoliation Frequency and Height |
| title_full | Functional Traits, Morphology, and Herbage Production of Vernalised and Non-Vernalised Chicory cv. Choice (<i>Cichorium intybus</i> L.) in Response to Defoliation Frequency and Height |
| title_fullStr | Functional Traits, Morphology, and Herbage Production of Vernalised and Non-Vernalised Chicory cv. Choice (<i>Cichorium intybus</i> L.) in Response to Defoliation Frequency and Height |
| title_full_unstemmed | Functional Traits, Morphology, and Herbage Production of Vernalised and Non-Vernalised Chicory cv. Choice (<i>Cichorium intybus</i> L.) in Response to Defoliation Frequency and Height |
| title_short | Functional Traits, Morphology, and Herbage Production of Vernalised and Non-Vernalised Chicory cv. Choice (<i>Cichorium intybus</i> L.) in Response to Defoliation Frequency and Height |
| title_sort | functional traits morphology and herbage production of vernalised and non vernalised chicory cv choice i cichorium intybus i l in response to defoliation frequency and height |
| topic | <i>Cichorium intybus</i> pastoral systems thermal time vernalisation herbage production |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/9/5/611 |
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