Grass and Forage Science最新文献

{"title":"Multispecies Pasture Reshapes Subsoil Bacterial and Fungal Communities Compared to Ryegrass Monoculture","authors":"Lok Hang Chan,&nbsp;Li Bi,&nbsp;Dona Thushari Wijesinghe,&nbsp;Rumesh Kombuge,&nbsp;Shu Kee Lam,&nbsp;Helen Suter,&nbsp;Hang-Wei Hu","doi":"10.1111/gfs.70093","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/gfs.70093","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Perennial ryegrass (<i>Lolium perenne</i> L.) underpins the pasture-based dairy industry in Australia, yet its shallow root system limits adaptation to drought conditions. Multispecies pastures, consisting of grasses, legumes and herbs, are increasingly adopted to improve ecosystem resilience, but their interactions with soil microorganisms, particularly in deeper soil layers, remain poorly understood. This study investigated bacterial and fungal communities in both topsoils and subsoils across monoculture (perennial ryegrass) and multispecies (ryegrass, chicory, clovers and other plants) pastures at eight dairy farms in Victoria, Australia, using quantitative PCR and amplicon sequencing. We found that microbial abundance and diversity declined with soil depth in both pastures, and were broadly comparable between monoculture and multispecies pasture systems. Microbial community compositions differed significantly between monoculture and multispecies pasture systems in both the topsoil and subsoil, across all sampling sites. Co-occurrence network analysis indicated that at three farm sites, the subsoil bacterial and fungal network of multispecies pastures exhibited a reduced number in nodes, edges and average degree, compared to monoculture ryegrass. This indicated multispecies pasture has a stronger interference to the subsoil microbiome than that of the monoculture ryegrass. Our results demonstrate distinct subsoil microbial communities between multispecies pastures and ryegrass monocultures, which indicate that pasture composition influences microbial community assembly at depth. This suggests that subsoil microbial interactions should be considered when evaluating the ecological impact of multispecies pasture selection.</p>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"81 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/gfs.70093","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149205382","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Legume Genetic Diversity Did Not Affect Forage Yield in Grass–Legume Swards Across Multiple Sites and Years","authors":"Chi-Han Wang,&nbsp;Caroline Brophy,&nbsp;John A. Finn","doi":"10.1111/gfs.70088","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/gfs.70088","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Effects of within-species genetic diversity on yield in sown grass–legume mixtures remain poorly understood. We analysed yield data from a common experiment implemented across 10 field sites and 3 years, in which both sown species diversity and legume genetic diversity were manipulated. At each site, the experimental design included four monocultures (two grasses and two legumes), and four-species mixtures with varying sown proportions (ranging from dominant by one species to equal proportions of all four). In communities containing legumes, each legume species was established with two levels of a genetic diversity treatment: a single locally adapted cultivar selected for agronomic performance (low genetic diversity) and multiple cultivars (high genetic diversity). We investigated the effects of species diversity and legume genetic diversity on annual yield. Increased species diversity resulted in higher annual yields. Across all sites and years, the mean monoculture yield was 8 t ha⁻¹ and the equi-proportional four-species mixture yielded 10.7 t ha⁻¹ (+34%, <i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Legume genetic diversity did not affect annual yield (<i>p</i> &gt; 0.05), either in legume monocultures or in grass–legume mixtures. Overall, with the greater generality of interpretation from the multi-site and multi-year design, these results show that species diversity in agricultural grasslands was the primary driver of effects of diversity on yield, and legume genetic diversity had no effect. Future work could investigate whether genetic diversity plays a stronger role under field conditions of environmental stress.</p>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"81 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/gfs.70088","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149146711","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bioactive Additives for Alfalfa Silage: Impacts on Fermentation Dynamics and Milk Fatty Acid Profiles","authors":"Mehmet Salih Kaçmaz,&nbsp;Sibel Erdoğan","doi":"10.1111/gfs.70091","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/gfs.70091","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study evaluated the efficacy of tea polyphenol extract (TP, 4 g/kg DM), oak tannin extract (OT, 15 g/kg DM), and sucrose (S, 10 g/kg DM) on alfalfa ensiling dynamics and the subsequent performance and milk fatty acid composition in mid-lactation dairy cows. Seven multiparous Simmental cows were assigned to the treatments in a switch-back design, with each period lasting 21 days. Within the evaluated silos, TP and OT silages appeared to exhibit enhanced proteolysis inhibition, evidenced by higher crude protein (CP) content and reduced protein loss compared to C and S silages (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). The additive treated silages were characterized by improved fermentation quality, showing elevated lactic acid and decreased butyric acid concentrations (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). TP supplementation was associated with a mitigation of lipolysis, facilitating the preservation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Overall, milk fat and lactose concentrations remained largely unaffected by polyphenol supplementation; however, a concurrent decline in milk protein content was observed (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05), which was significantly influenced by the treatment × period interaction (<i>p</i> = 0.0161). Statistically significant differences were detected among treatment groups regarding ΣSFA, ΣPUFA, and the PUFA/SFA ratio (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Consequently, under the current experimental conditions, TP extract showed potential in mitigating lipolysis in silage and reducing PUFA loss, while OT extract appeared more conducive to preserving endogenous PPO activity. Overall, the supplementation suggested a capacity to enhance the nutritional quality of milk fat by selectively reducing ΣSFA and <i>ω</i>−6 fatty acid concentrations without compromising production performance, although the observed decline in milk protein remains a critical factor for application.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"81 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149146292","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of Plant Growth Regulators on the Mechanical Properties of Kentucky Bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.)","authors":"Tomasz Głąb,&nbsp;Wojciech Szewczyk,&nbsp;Krzysztof Gondek","doi":"10.1111/gfs.70092","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/gfs.70092","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Plant growth regulators are widely used in turfgrass management to control shoot growth. However, their effects on the mechanical properties of plant tissues remain poorly understood. This study evaluated the influence of seven plant growth regulators (trinexapac-ethyl, paclobutrazol, flurprimidol, mefluidide, ethephon, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellic acid) and their application rates on the tensile properties of Kentucky bluegrass (<i>Poa pratensis</i> L.) leaves under controlled conditions. Three cultivars (‘Baronial’, ‘Niweta’ and ‘Limousine’) were tested in the experiment. Mechanical parameters, including stress-at-break, strain-at-break, modulus of elasticity and work-to-break, were determined using a tensile test. Plant growth regulator type and cultivar significantly affected all analyzed mechanical traits, whereas application rate influenced mainly stress-at-break and modulus of elasticity. Most PGRs reduced stress-at-break and modulus of elasticity, indicating decreased tissue strength and stiffness, while their effects on strain-at-break and work-to-break were less consistent. The highest stress-at-break and modulus of elasticity values were observed for gibberellic acid, whereas the lowest values were observed for mefluidide and flurprimidol. Responses to application rate were generally weak and inconsistent, and only paclobutrazol showed significant but weak rate-related relationships for strain-at-break and work-to-break. In contrast, cultivar-related differences were pronounced, with ‘Baronial’ showing higher mechanical strength and stiffness, and ‘Limousine’ exhibiting greater extensibility. The results indicate that mechanical resistance in Kentucky bluegrass is primarily determined by structural and genetic factors, and only secondarily influenced by plant growth regulator application. This study provides new insight into the biomechanical effects of growth regulators in turfgrass and highlights potential trade-offs between growth control and mechanical durability.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"81 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149146291","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Optimising Defoliation Frequency and Intensity to Enhance Forage Accumulation in Annual Ryegrass","authors":"Carlos E. S. Pedroso,&nbsp;Ricardo B. Job,&nbsp;Andrea Mittelmann,&nbsp;Otoniel G. L. Ferreira,&nbsp;Denismar A. Nogueira,&nbsp;Bruno C. Pedreira,&nbsp;Carlos H. S. Rabelo","doi":"10.1111/gfs.70086","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/gfs.70086","url":null,"abstract":"<p>To increase grazing efficiency, it is necessary to understand morphogenetic responses and how they drive forage harvest. Our objective was to evaluate defoliation frequency (time between defoliations required for the expansion of 2, 3 and 4 leaves) and intensity (low: maintenance of 50% stubble height; intermediate: maintenance of 25% stubble height immediately after defoliation; and high: maintenance of 3-cm stubble height immediately after defoliation) to determine the best forage management of three annual ryegrass cultivars (<i>Lolium multiflorum</i> Lam.) with different flowering moments (early, medium and late flowering). Frequent defoliation, particularly with the expansion of two leaves (28 days or 308 growing degree days), proved to be a key management strategy for improving sward morphogenesis, enhancing structural characteristics and increasing the amount of forage harvested. The two-leaf defoliation resulted in a 34% and 73% greater proportion of live leaf blades than the three- and four-leaf treatments, respectively. Intermediate defoliation intensity promoted greater harvest of live leaf blades, improved tiller balance and reduced pseudostem elongation. Among the cultivars tested, the late-flowering genotype demonstrated superior performance in terms of live leaf harvest and forage crude protein content, while the early-flowering cultivar showed greater sensitivity to defoliation frequency, with a stronger expression of unfavourable traits under longer regrowth intervals. Overall, frequent defoliation combined with intermediate defoliation intensity increased the amount of forage harvested and maintained forage quality across ryegrass cultivars. These findings reinforce the relevance of using leaf-based defoliation criteria as a reliable and biologically meaningful tool for pasture management in annual ryegrass.</p>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"81 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/gfs.70086","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149099528","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Maize Cultivar Mixture Effects on Productivity, Nutrient and Fibre Yields and Rhizosphere Traits Under Different Phosphorus Treatments","authors":"Yukun Wu,&nbsp;Mulin Du,&nbsp;Lizhao Fan,&nbsp;Yunlong Zhang,&nbsp;Jingying Jing","doi":"10.1111/gfs.70090","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/gfs.70090","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Phosphorus (P) is finite and non-renewable; improving its use efficiency is critical. Cultivar mixtures may enhance resource utilization, but their impacts on rhizosphere processes and productivity remain unclear. A single-season, two-site field experiment was conducted at ZhuoZhou (ZZ) and LanKao (LK) in the North China Plain with three blocks per site. Five planting treatments (four monocultures and an equal-proportion mixture) were combined with five P fertilization treatments (CK, SSP1, SSP2, MAP1 and MAP2). Data were analysed with a three-way ANOVA including site, maize cultivar mixture treatment, P treatments and their interactions, with block nested within site. Site, mixture and P treatments significantly affected aboveground biomass, nitrogen uptake, rhizosphere available P and nutrient/fibre yields. The mixture increased aboveground biomass, nitrogen uptake, and crude protein, neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre yields compared with monoculture at ZZ. Mixture effects were site-dependent, as indicated by a significant S × M interaction. At LK, no biomass or fibre-yield benefits were detected. Maize cultivar mixtures can improve productivity and nutrient/fibre yields associated with changes in rhizosphere pH and acid phosphatase activity, but these benefits are site-dependent. Adoption must account for local climatic conditions and edaphic conditions, and multi-year and multi-site validation is required.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"81 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149099332","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Preference and Selection by Beef Cattle Grazing Diverse Forages in Resource Islands Embedded in Grass Monocultures","authors":"Bashiri Iddy Muzzo,&nbsp;Kelvyn K. Bladen,&nbsp;Manuel Martinez,&nbsp;Juan J. Villalba","doi":"10.1111/gfs.70089","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/gfs.70089","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Beef cattle on rangelands typically graze grass monocultures that become nutritionally and phytochemically constrained during summer, reducing animal performance and health. We tested whether patches of forages (i.e., “islands”) embedded within smooth bromegrass (SBG) paddocks enable cows to self-select complementary forages that may improve animal performance. Fifteen Angus cow–calf pairs grazed three SBG paddocks (five pairs/paddock), each with three 30 × 40 m forage islands (three islands/paddock) comprising adjacent strips of alfalfa-ALF, sainfoin-SF, forage kochia-KH, small burnet-SB, and a patch of mixed weeds-MW. Across three 15-day periods, cows accessed one island/paddock for 1 h each evening. Cows were video-recorded simultaneously, and the forage species grazed by each cow was recorded at 2-min intervals using instantaneous scan sampling. Caged biomass quantified proportional forage availability for preference–biomass comparisons and availability-based multispecies indices, while scan-based preference was analysed using binomial GLMMs, FSI using a linear mixed-effects model, and the remaining selectivity, forage-mixing, and turnover indices descriptively. Scans on forage use shifted across periods (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001): scans on MW declined from 30%–35% to 15%–20% of total scans, while those on SF and ALF increased to 25%–30% and 15%–20%, respectively. SF had the highest overall selection ratio (<i>w</i> = 1.53), and ALF shifted from avoidance to positive selection. Within bouts, FSI peaked early, then declined as the diversity of forage items selected increased; MS trended toward 0, and turnover decreased. Forage islands promoted cattle preference and selectivity for nutrient- and phytochemical-rich legumes and broadened dietary choice within SBG monoculture paddocks, potentially supporting their health and performance while reducing environmental impacts.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"81 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149099331","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Relation Between Ploidy and Forage Yield in Red Clover (Trifolium pratense L.)","authors":"Stanislav Hejduk,&nbsp;Josef Hakl,&nbsp;Tim Vleugels,&nbsp;Sigridur Dalmannsdottir,&nbsp;David Parsons","doi":"10.1111/gfs.70081","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/gfs.70081","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Recent experiences suggest only minor differences in dry matter yield between red clover diploid and tetraploid cultivars whilst tetraploids have a lower seed production potential, prompting breeders to reconsider their breeding efforts in this ploidy group. This large-scale study comparing the productivity of diploid and tetraploid red clover across a European gradient brings new insight for breeders and farmers. Core yield data were obtained from available results of national field trials across Europe testing red clover cultivars and candivars during the period from 2000 to 2023. Data were analysed by analysis of covariance, including the impact of location, harvest year, ploidy, and the interaction harvest year × ploidy. Temperature mean and sum of precipitation over a growing season were used as a covariate. Red clover productivity was twice as high in warmer Central and Western Europe (DMY 15.5 t ha⁻¹), compared to Northern Europe (DMY 7.55 t ha⁻¹). Tetraploids strongly outyielded diploids in Northern Europe (DMY +9.2%) but only marginally in Central and Western Europe (DMY +3.8%). Tetraploids had the highest yield benefit over diploids in years/locations with lower temperature mean and sum of precipitation over the growing season. Our findings indicate that tetraploid red clover still provides DMY benefits over diploids, but these benefits are most pronounced in regions with less favourable growing conditions. Considering the difficulties with seed production in tetraploid red clover, diploid red clover is a good choice for Central and Western Europe, while for Northern Europe the preference for tetraploids is more justifiable.</p>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"81 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/gfs.70081","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148942190","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Composition and Stability of Leaf Condensed Tannins in White Clover (Trifolium repens L) Expressing the Transcription Factor TaMYB14-1 From Trifolium arvense","authors":"Marissa B. Roldan,&nbsp;Juha-Pekka Salminen,&nbsp;Greig Cousins,&nbsp;Matt Francis,&nbsp;Rupinder Kaur,&nbsp;Ashleigh Paap,&nbsp;Derek R. Woodfield,&nbsp;John R. Caradus,&nbsp;Christine R. Voisey","doi":"10.1111/gfs.70079","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/gfs.70079","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Condensed tannins (CTs) are phenolic metabolites that reduce rumen protein degradation, increase livestock productivity, prevent bloat and lower greenhouse gas emissions and nitrogen pollution of waterways. White clover (<i>Trifolium repens</i>), a protein-rich forage legume, accumulates CTs in flowers, but not in leaves; however, foliar CTs can be induced through expression of <i>TaMYB14-1</i>, a MYB transcription factor from <i>Trifolium arvense</i> and a regulator of CT biosynthesis. This study examined the concentration, composition and in vitro protein binding capacity of white clover leaf CTs across successive breeding generations to establish the stability and inheritance of the trait. Total CT concentration was stable in heterozygous genotypes in the first two generations but increased significantly in later generations in response to selection for <i>TaMYB14-1</i> homozygosity. Importantly, the key CT structural attributes that determine the biological efficacy of CTs in the rumen, including the prodelphinidin:procyanidin ratio (~80:20) and mean degree of polymerisation (~9–12 units), remained stable across generations. Protein precipitation capacity (PPC) was numerically higher in advanced breeding lines compared to the primary transgenic plant, reflecting an increase in CT accumulation that coincides with moving from heterozygosity to homozygosity. Together these findings demonstrate that the white clover leaf CT trait is heritable and stable across generations. This supports its potential for incorporation into white clover breeding programmes aimed at improving forage quality and reducing the impact of livestock on greenhouse gas emissions.</p>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"81 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-08-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/gfs.70079","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148849157","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Community-Specific Radiation Use Efficiency Improves Productivity Estimates in Subtropical Grasslands","authors":"Carlos Emilio Maidana,&nbsp;Diego Bendersky,&nbsp;Carlos Marcelo Di Bella","doi":"10.1111/gfs.70080","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/gfs.70080","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Accurate estimates of grassland aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP) are essential for forage management, yet remote sensing-based productivity models commonly assume that radiation use efficiency (RUE) is constant across vegetation types and years. This assumption may be particularly problematic in subtropical grasslands, where functionally contrasting plant communities coexist across heterogeneous edaphic and hydroclimatic conditions. We evaluated seasonal and interannual variation in RUE across three natural grassland communities in south-central Corrientes, Argentina, over a 10-year period (2007–2016): <i>a C3-dominated fine-grass community (genus Aristida) on shallow acidic lithosols with low cation exchange capacity, a C4-dominated short-grass community (principally Paspalum notatum and allied species) on deep planosols with a sharp textural discontinuity between horizons, and a C4-dominated tall tussock community (principally Andropogon lateralis and allied species) on hydromorphic brunizems with poor internal drainage</i>. ANPP was quantified using mobile exclusion cages and sequential harvests, while absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR) was estimated from MODIS NDVI-derived fAPAR and meteorological radiation data. RUE differed markedly among communities, with the highest mean annual value in short-grass (0.885 ± 0.133 g DM MJ⁻¹) and the lowest in fine-grass (0.576 ± 0.108 g DM MJ⁻¹). Although all communities showed higher RUE during warm seasons, interannual variability and climatic sensitivity were markedly different among the three monitored communities. Fine-grass exhibited the greatest temporal variability and negative responses to both annual temperature and precipitation, whereas tall tussock maintained comparatively stable RUE across hydroclimatic conditions. Assuming a fixed RUE introduced substantial ANPP estimation errors, exceeding 20% and reaching more than 30% in some years. These findings show that RUE cannot be treated as a uniform parameter in subtropical grassland mosaics. Incorporating community-specific and temporally variable RUE values can improve productivity models, refine forage allowance assessments and support more reliable grazing management under increasing climatic variability.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"81 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.6,"publicationDate":"2026-08-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148848687","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}