Rangeland Ecology & Management

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Mycorrhizal influences on big bluestem rhizome regrowth and clipping tolerance
Author
Hetrick, B. A. D.
Wilson, G. W. T.
Owensby, C. E.
Publisher
Society for Range Management
Publication Year
1990-07-01
Body

Mycorrhizal symbiosis is critical to growth of many warm-season prairie grass seedlings, but its effect on regrowth of rhizomes has not been determined. As forage species, the effect of grazing on the symbiosis is also important. when the impact of mycorrhizae on regrowth of Andropogon gerardii Vit. rhizomes was assessed, A. gerardii rhizomes collected from the field and grown with mycorrhizal inoculum produced larger plants than rhizomes grown in the absence of the symbiont. The effect of the symbiosis on clipping (simulated grazing) tolerance was quantified by growing A. gerardii in steamed or nonsterile prairie soil, with or without mycorrhizal fungus inoculation. Plants were clipped and a portion of the plants harvested at 6, 12, 18, 24, and 30 weeks after planting. As an additional control, Benomyl fungicide was applied to plants to inhibit the symbiosis. Mycorrhizal clipped plants were larger than nonmycorrhizal clipped plants, but the difference diminished with successive clippings. Mycorrhizal root colonization also decreased in response to repeated clipping. Maximum shoot and root biomass of mycorrhizal plants was produced at 12 and 18 weeks, respectiveIy. Fungicide-treated plants did not grow appreciably after the fit clipping. Thus, mycorrhizae improved clipping tolerance, but with repeated intensive clipping, significant changes in root/shoot ratio occurred and eventually mycorrhizal root colonization and growth benefit were lost. This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact lbry-journals@email.arizona.edu for further information. Migrated from OJS platform August 2020

Language
en
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Journal Issue/Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
10.2307/3898918
Additional Information
Hetrick, B. A. D., Wilson, G. W. T., & Owensby, C. E. (1990). Mycorrhizal influences on big bluestem rhizome regrowth and clipping tolerance. Journal of Range Management, 43(4), 286-290.
IISN
0022-409X
OAI Identifier
oai:repository.arizona.edu:10150/644898
Journal Volume
43
Journal Number
4
Journal Pages
286-290
Journal Name
Journal of Range Management
Keywords
vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizae
shoot pruning
rhizomes
colonizing ability
symbiosis
shoots
Andropogon gerardii
regrowth
growth rate
crop yield
grazing
forage