Temperature-Dependent Growth Adaptation of Festuca pratensis from the Biophysical Viewpoint
Publication Type: | Journal Article |
Year of Publication: | 2011 |
Authors: | Šimkūnas, A, Valašinaitė, S, Švitra, D |
Journal: | Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science |
Volume: | 197 |
Issue: | 5 |
Date Published: | 2011 |
ISBN Number: | 1439-037X |
Keywords: | Festuca, Festuca pratensis, growth slowdown, Lolium, Lolium multiflorum, Lolium perenne, stress state, stress-tolerator |
Abstract: | Meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis), Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), their hybrid Festulolium braunii and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) were grown hydroponically under vegetative (20 °C) and hardening (8 °C, 0 °C) regimes. The relative shoot/root growth ratio K, linear root growth rate and other parameters were estimated. When the temperature was lowered from 20 °C to 8 °C, the relative shoot/root growth ratio K of F. pratensis decreased to 0.6, i.e. much more than that of Lolium, suggesting that at 8 °C F. pratensis shoot growth blockage occurs. Further, by dropping the temperature from 8 °C down to 0 °C, the K ratio of F. pratensis increased significantly, while the linear root growth rate decreased much more markedly than in the other species – it suggests also a blockage of root growth. This growth slowdown of stress-tolerant F. pratensis shoots and at a lower temperature also of its roots is inadequate to the direct impact of temperature and, thus, indicates a two-step qualitative reorganization, i.e. transition into a qualitatively new state of stress. This phenomenon does not manifest itself in the less stress-tolerant Lolium and Festulolium species but is expressed in stress-tolerators, allowing them to achieve their strategic goal – to survive under extreme conditions. |
URL: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-037X.2011.00470.x |
Short Title: | Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science |