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THE EFFECT OF TIME OF CUTTING ON EAR PRODUCTION AND SEED YIELD IN S.48 TIMOTHY |
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| Authors: | R H M Langer |
| Institution: | The Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Berkshire |
| Abstract: | After uniform defoliation in February, spaced plants of S.48 timothy were cut on one of 12 fortnightly dates, starting at the end of March. Analysis of the herbage removed at each cut showed an increase in plant and unit tiller weight throughout the season, but a decline in the number of tillers, especially before the beginning of shooting. The date of ear emergence was not affected by cutting up to 5 May and only slightly delayed in plants cut on 19 May. Plants treated subsequently flowered much later but after a fairly constant interval following defoliation. Cutting on and after 7 April depressed fertile tiller formation with increasing severity, until only vegetative tillers appeared in the recovery growth following treatment at the beginning of August. Seed yield per plant declined with the decrease in fertile tiller numbers, but after the early cuts some compensation by production of slightly more seed per ear was recorded. The results are discussed in terms of the physiological transition of the plant towards flowering. |
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