COMPONENTS OF LEAF AREA AND DRY MATTER PRODUCTION IN NATIVE AND INTRODUCED WARM-SEASON PERENNIAL GRASSES IN RANGELANDS OF CENTRAL ARGENTINA.

TORRES, Y.A., C.A. BUSSO, O.A. MONTENEGRO, H.D. GIORGETTI, G.D. RODRÍGUEZ, T. MONTANI AND A. MAIDANA

Tafí del Valle, Tucumán

Jornada; Jornadas de la Asociación de Biología de Tucumán; 2007

Asociación de Biología de Tucumán

The objective of this research was to compare different components of leaf area production between the native, warm-season perennial grass Pappophorum subbulbosum and Leymus cinereus, cultivars ‘Magnar’ and ‘Trailhead’, 2 genotypes recently introduced in Argentina from the U.S.A. Studies were conducted in the Chacra Experimental de Patagones.  Half of the plants were defoliated to 5 cm stubble while the other half remained undefoliated (control). Height, number of green and total (dead + green) leaves, leaf length of green blade + sheaths and leaf length of total (dead + green) blade + sheaths were periodically determined on individual tillers. Morphological and demographic variables were greater (p<0.05) in the native than in the introduced cultivars when results are expressed on a plant scale basis.