Volume 79, Issue 3 pp. 404-422
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Effects of conservation versus elimination of growing points on yield, C: N: P stoichiometry, and root morphology of Leymus chinensis

Chengzhen Zhao

Chengzhen Zhao

Jilin Province Feed Processing and Ruminant Precision Breeding Cross regional Cooperation Technology Innovation Center, Jilin Provincial Laboratory of Grassland Farming, State Key Laboratory of Black Soils Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China

University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

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Xiao Chang

Xiao Chang

Jilin Province Feed Processing and Ruminant Precision Breeding Cross regional Cooperation Technology Innovation Center, Jilin Provincial Laboratory of Grassland Farming, State Key Laboratory of Black Soils Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China

University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

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Qiang Li

Corresponding Author

Qiang Li

Jilin Province Feed Processing and Ruminant Precision Breeding Cross regional Cooperation Technology Innovation Center, Jilin Provincial Laboratory of Grassland Farming, State Key Laboratory of Black Soils Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China

Correspondence

Rongzhen Zhong and Qiang Li, Jilin Province Feed Processing and Ruminant Precision Breeding Cross regional Cooperation Technology Innovation Center, Jilin Provincial Laboratory of Grassland Farming, State Key Laboratory of Black Soils Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 4888 Shengbei Street, Changchun 130102, Jilin province, China.

Email: [email protected] and [email protected]

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Rongzhen Zhong

Corresponding Author

Rongzhen Zhong

Jilin Province Feed Processing and Ruminant Precision Breeding Cross regional Cooperation Technology Innovation Center, Jilin Provincial Laboratory of Grassland Farming, State Key Laboratory of Black Soils Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China

Correspondence

Rongzhen Zhong and Qiang Li, Jilin Province Feed Processing and Ruminant Precision Breeding Cross regional Cooperation Technology Innovation Center, Jilin Provincial Laboratory of Grassland Farming, State Key Laboratory of Black Soils Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 4888 Shengbei Street, Changchun 130102, Jilin province, China.

Email: [email protected] and [email protected]

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Daowei Zhou

Daowei Zhou

Jilin Province Feed Processing and Ruminant Precision Breeding Cross regional Cooperation Technology Innovation Center, Jilin Provincial Laboratory of Grassland Farming, State Key Laboratory of Black Soils Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, China

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First published: 26 March 2024

Abstract

The conservation and elimination of the growing point of Leymus chinensis (Trin.) Tzvel. are two common contrasted scenarios during grazing. However, the biomass and nutrient allocation in L. chinensis, as well as their contribution to yield under these conditions are unclear. Therefore, a simulated grazing experiment was conducted using a factorial design that combined two defoliation heights (conservation versus elimination of growing points) and four plant heights (18, 24, 31, and 35 cm) during two growing seasons (2020 and 2021), resulting in eight treatments. Additionally, the experiment also included two identical control treatments with a single mowing in mid-August. The results demonstrated that conservation treatments for the growing point increased the regeneration time of L. chinensis during the entire growing season in both years compared to elimination treatments for the growing point, due to the alteration in biomass allocation priority and C: N: P stoichiometric ratio between stems and leaves of L. chinensis, as well as root morphological traits. The growth strategy in the treatment with 17 cm defoliation height at 35 cm plant height demonstrated the optimal combination, resulting in stabling the accumulated DM yield of L. chinensis in both years. The findings emphasize the significance of comprehending the correlation between the growing point of L. chinensis and its yield, providing a pioneering approach to guide sustainable grazing practices for L. chinensis grassland.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial and financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

Data will be made available on request.

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