Publication details
Changes in growth parameters and content of N-storage compounds in roots and rhizomes of Calamagrostis epigejos after repeated defoliation
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2004 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Biológia |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Botany |
| Keywords | defoliation roots; nitrogen storage; nitrogen availability |
| Description | Young plants of rhizomatous grass Calamagrostis epigejos (L.) ROTH, cultivated in controlled conditions at two levels of nitrogen availability (2 mM and 0.4 mM NH4NO3) were repeatedly defoliated in 7 days intervals. Most of the newly formed or stored organic compounds were used for shoot regeneration and rhizome expansion, while growth of roots was completely stopped. Morphogenetic processes, namely leaf and rhizome initiation, were affected by defoliation much less than biomass allocation. The defoliated plants had lower content of amino acids and more abundant soluble proteins in roots and rhizomes than intact plants. The response of C. epigejos plants to defoliation was similar at both levels of nitrogen availability. Our results indicate, that the rate of regrowth of experimental plants was hardly limited by depletion of internal nitrogen reserves, but some regulative effect of qualitative changes in stored nitrogen compounds on biomass allocation and morphogenetic processes cannot be excluded. |
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