Grass and Forage Science最新文献

{"title":"Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum CV. Inia Sepé) responses to defoliation intensities","authors":"Diego German Giorello Leites,&nbsp;André Fisher Sbrissia,&nbsp;Sila Carneiro Da Silva","doi":"10.1111/gfs.12628","DOIUrl":"10.1111/gfs.12628","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Defoliation management is determinant of forage production and plant persistence. The objective of this study was to identify grazing suitability and stability of herbage production of INIA Sepé subjected to four intensities of defoliation (represented for sward canopies of 3, 10, 17 and 24 cm maintained constant through weekly cuts) and two rates of nitrogen fertilization (100 and 300 kg ha⁻¹). The response variables studied were: botanical/morphological composition of the herbage mass, herbage accumulation, nutritive value, tiller population density (TPD), tiller weight (TW), leaf area index (LAI) and nitrogen nutrition index (NNI) and calculations performed relative to the tiller size × density compensation mechanism (SDC). Taller swards had smaller population of large tillers, with greater individual leaf area, showing a tiller × size density compensation response. Calculations indicated that the regression coefficient for the linear regression between TW and TPD in a log scale was close to −2.5, in agreement with the −5/2 self-thinning rule, with variable LAI and R (ratio between tiller leaf area and volume). The exception was during year 1 for the 100 kg N ha⁻¹, when the regression coefficient was close to −1.5. During year 2 only one replication of the 3 cm and 100 kg N ha⁻¹ did not follow the SDC line. LAI and herbage accumulation were positively correlated with the distance between points of log(TW) × log(TPD) and an hypothetical −3/2 SDC line (<i>p</i> &lt; .0001). <i>Paspalum notatum</i> cv. INIA Sepé shows stability of herbage accumulation and ability to adjust tiller size and population density.</p>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"78 4","pages":"491-500"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2023-09-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47107086","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":"The influence of soil potassium status on the productivity of docks (Rumex obtusifolius L.) in intensively managed temperate grassland","authors":"T. O'Donovan,&nbsp;I. A. Casey,&nbsp;J. Humphreys","doi":"10.1111/gfs.12625","DOIUrl":"10.1111/gfs.12625","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Docks are a widespread problem in grassland, necessitating novel management solutions as pesticides become increasingly regulated. The objective was to investigate the role of soil test Potassium (K) concentrations (Morgan's solution; Na acetate + acetic acid, pH 4.8; STK) on competitiveness of docks in grassland. The experimental site (52°21 N, 7°18 W) was reseeded with perennial ryegrass in October 2009. A plot experiment was laid down in a randomised complete block design with seven rates of fertiliser K (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300 kg ha⁻¹) and eight replicates. Dock numbers were measured over 6 years (2010–2015) and herbage production over 5 years (2012–2016). There was poor alignment between fertiliser K and STK in the early years of the study, however this alignment improved over time. While fertiliser K had no effect on dock numbers, there were positive correlations between STK early in the study and dock numbers m⁻² throughout the study. Dock numbers m⁻² were relatively static between 2010 and 2012 and increased substantially between 2013 and 2015. Between 2013 and 2016 there were strong inverse relationships (<i>r</i> &gt; −.765; <i>p</i> &lt; .001) between dock and grass herbage production. Towards the end of the study the lower annual fertiliser K inputs (0 and 50 kg ha⁻¹) resulted in lower (<i>p</i> &lt; .01) dock root and herbage production with an associated increase (<i>p</i> &lt; .05) in grass herbage production. It is evident there is a threshold STK for permanent grassland infested with docks at which grass is more competitive for plant-available soil K than the docks to the detriment of the dock component of the sward.</p>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"78 4","pages":"515-524"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2023-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/gfs.12625","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43329936","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":"Effect of harvest frequency and season on morphogenic and structural characteristics of dwarf and tall Elephantgrass genotypes","authors":"Elisvaldo José Silva Alencar,&nbsp;Mércia Virginia Ferreira Dos Santos,&nbsp;Márcio Vieira da Cunha,&nbsp;Alexandre Carneiro Leão de Mello,&nbsp;Jorge Eduardo Cavalcante Lucena,&nbsp;Antonio Leopoldino Neto,&nbsp;Thaíse Virgínia Freire Ramos Peixôto,&nbsp;Natália Viana da Silva","doi":"10.1111/gfs.12624","DOIUrl":"10.1111/gfs.12624","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study aimed to evaluate the impact of two harvest frequencies (60 and 90 days) on the morphogenic and structural characteristics of four Elephantgrass genotypes (two tall and two dwarf) in both rainy and dry seasons. The research was conducted in Garanhuns, Brazil from September 2019 to December 2021. The morphogenic characteristics evaluated included leaf appearance rate, stem and leaf elongation rate, phyllochron, plant height, stem diameter, leaf and stem length, basal tiller population density, and number of leaves per tiller. The results showed that Elephant B had the highest leaf elongation rate among all genotypes, both in the rainy and dry seasons. During the rainy season, the tall genotypes showed higher stem elongation rates compared to the dwarf genotypes. The tall genotypes also had lower phyllochron values. Taiwan A-146 2.37 had a higher population density of basal tillers by 30%–37% compared to other genotypes. During the dry season, the stem elongation rate of Taiwan A-146 2.37 was slower compared to the rainy season. The study showed that the harvest frequency had an effect on the morphogenic characteristics of Elephantgrass genotypes, with 60 days harvest resulting in higher leaf elongation rates. Elephant B was superior in terms of leaf elongation at both harvest frequencies. The results indicate that the season also plays a role in the morphogenic characteristics of the genotypes. This study provides insights into the optimal cutting strategies for Elephantgrass based on the size of the plant and season.</p>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"78 4","pages":"480-490"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2023-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47772303","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":"Variations of seed size and seed number per spikelet and their effects on seed germination in hulled oats","authors":"Zhan Yuan,&nbsp;René Gislum,&nbsp;Zhang Jing,&nbsp;Jia Zhifeng,&nbsp;Ma Xiang,&nbsp;Liu Haicong,&nbsp;Guo Rongming,&nbsp;Zhang Wei,&nbsp;Fang Jiaqi,&nbsp;Qingping Zhou,&nbsp;Wang Hui","doi":"10.1111/gfs.12626","DOIUrl":"10.1111/gfs.12626","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Seed yield components and ear characteristics are critical parameters for seed yield improvement of cereal crops. In this study, 23 hulled oat (<i>Avena sativa</i>) cultivars were planted in four experimental sites during 2018–2020. We determined the ear parameters including the number of four spikelet types, the ear length, the seed weight <i>per</i> ear, and the size of the left and the right seed in the double-seed spikelet. In addition, five oat cultivars with the highest percentage of the triple-seed spikelet were selected to evaluate the germination performance of the left, the middle, and the right seed. The results showed that the double-seed spikelet was present in 73% of the ear, occupying the highest proportion than other spikelet types. The negative correlation showed the trade-off between total seed number <i>per</i> ear and average seed weight. According to the pathway analysis, the number of double-seed spikelet had the significantly highest direct effect on the seed weight <i>per</i> ear with the path coefficient of 0.93. In the double-seed spikelet, the length and the thickness both had significantly positive correlations to the seed weight of the left and the right seeds. The middle seed, which had the smallest seed size, had the lowest germination rate, germination index, vigour index, seedling weight, and length than the right and left seed among three seed positions in the triple-seed spikelet. We conclude that the double-seed spikelet number is a key ear characteristic when breeding high-yielding cultivars.</p>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"79 1","pages":"29-36"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2023-08-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49146428","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":"Fractionation of mixed grass and clover stands using a leaf stripper","authors":"Brooke Micke,&nbsp;Sanna Bergqvist,&nbsp;Steffen Adler,&nbsp;Julien Morel,&nbsp;David Parsons","doi":"10.1111/gfs.12623","DOIUrl":"10.1111/gfs.12623","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Leys are an important part of northern European livestock production, particularly for ruminants since monogastric animals are limited in their ability to digest the fibres of the forage. Crop fractionation methods are a promising option to make forages more beneficial for monogastric animals and decrease the amount of imported protein feed. A leaf stripping harvesting technique was evaluated at Röbäcksdalen in northern Sweden in mixed grass-clover leys over 2 years. The PremAlfa Mini leaf stripper (Trust'ing-Alf'ing, Nantes, France) worked well in mixed stands, harvesting on average a third of the available forage biomass, primarily in the form of leaves and soft stems from the clover plants. It proved successful in producing a forage fraction that had a significantly higher crude protein (CP) concentration (+39.1%) and lower neutral detergent fibre (aNDFom) concentration (−21.4%) than the pre-harvest mixed sward (all significant at <i>p</i> &lt; .05 level). Due to the remaining high level of aNDFom in the leaf stripper fraction, it is more suited for use as an energy source for monogastrics rather than as a protein supplement. Alternatively, the leaf stripper fraction could be used to increase digestibility and CP content in the feed rations of high producing dairy cows.</p>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"79 2","pages":"158-169"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2023-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/gfs.12623","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41512130","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":"Ensilibility and protein degradation characteristics of forage from mountain grasslands containing tanniferous species","authors":"Simon Ineichen,&nbsp;Andrea B. Seiler,&nbsp;Ueli Wyss,&nbsp;Carsten S. Malisch,&nbsp;Beat Reidy","doi":"10.1111/gfs.12620","DOIUrl":"10.1111/gfs.12620","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Ensiling forage from species-rich mountain grasslands is challenging. Low concentrations of fermentable carbohydrates and the coarse morphological structure of the forage promote the activity of butyric acid forming bacteria. This is associated with the formation of ammonia from protein degradation, resulting in an insufficient pH decline. On the other hand, forage from species-rich swards may contain tanniferous plant species which contain varying contents of condensed tannins (CT). Therefore, the silage quality of forage prepared from species-rich mountain grasslands and the role CT may play in silage fermentation was studied. A set-up of two long-term mineral fertilization field experiments, located in the Jura mountains and the Alps in Switzerland were used to obtain forage with contrasting species and chemical composition. Collection was done during both the generative and vegetative growth stage from three differently fertilized swards: unfertilised (“0”), fertilized with phosphorus and potassium (“PK”) or fertilized with PK and nitrogen (“NPK”). The forage was wilted to approximately 37% dry matter (DM), chopped to 2 cm lengths and ensiled for at least 65 days as laboratory-scale silages. The wilted forage was characterized by concentrations of crude protein between 117 and 130 g/kg DM and water-soluble carbohydrates varying from 84 to 148 g/kg DM. Concentrations of CT ranged from 6 g to 14 g/kg DM and those of soluble CT from 1.8 to 7.6 g/kg DM. All silages contained butyric acid, irrespective of the type of fertilization or harvest stage (range: 1.5 g to 16 g/kg DM). Concentrations of acetic and lactic acid ranged from 2.1 g to 15.0 g/kg DM and from 21.0 to 44.0 g/kg DM, respectively. Concentrations of unfermented sugar remained high and pH levels were above those expected. Formation of non-protein-N (NPN) increased in the range of 130 to 264 g/kg N from wilted to ensiled forage. The negative correlations of CT or soluble CT contents with ammonia-N or NPN in silage were found in both forage from the generative and vegetative harvests indicating a possible relationship with protein degradation during ensiling.</p>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"78 4","pages":"622-635"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2023-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/gfs.12620","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49470663","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":"Efficacy of six lactic acid bacteria strains as silage inoculants in forages with different dry matter and water-soluble carbohydrate content","authors":"Horacio Gonda,&nbsp;Ivana Nikodinoska,&nbsp;Kate Le Cocq,&nbsp;Colm A. Moran","doi":"10.1111/gfs.12622","DOIUrl":"10.1111/gfs.12622","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The dry matter (DM), water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) content, and epiphytic microbiota of forage during ensiling are critical for the production of high-quality preserved forage. This study tested the efficacy of six additive treatments (10⁶ CFU/g FM <i>Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus</i> IMI 507023, <i>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</i> [IMI 507026, IMI 507027, and IMI 507028] or <i>Pediococcus pentosaceus</i> [IMI 507024 and IMI 507025]) as ensiling agents for grass-clover preservation. Treated and untreated forages were ensiled in 1.75 L glass jars and stored for 90 days at 20 ± 2°C. The effects of treatments on silage fermentation and aerobic stability were tested using grass-clover forage at low and high levels of DM (24.0%–40.1%) and WSC (1.78%–5.27%). Data analysis using a mixed-effects model and principal component analysis revealed improved silage fermentation in treated forages compared to that in the control. The fermentation-related analytes in the treated silages (low pH, ethanol, acetic acid, and high lactic acid) represented a typical homofermentative metabolic pathway. The silage inoculants significantly lowered DM losses and ammonia-N, % of total nitrogen content, ranging between 30.4%–52.5% and 30.5%–63.1% respectively, compared to the control. Additionally, forage type interacted with treatment, indicating that forage management is vital for ensiling and should be considered alongside inoculant use. The improvement in aerobic stability by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) was inconsistent. The principal component analysis of all analytes showed that aerobic stability was most closely correlated with acetic acid and butyric acid concentrations. In conclusion, all LAB strains successfully improved the preservation of forage materials.</p>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"78 4","pages":"636-647"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2023-08-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/gfs.12622","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45283818","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":"Root biomass and altitude jointly regulate the response of topsoil organic carbon density to severe degradation of high-altitude alpine meadows","authors":"Hongqin Li,&nbsp;Huimin Geng,&nbsp;Zhitao Zhang,&nbsp;Lubei Yi,&nbsp;Jianhao Wang,&nbsp;Fawei Zhang","doi":"10.1111/gfs.12621","DOIUrl":"10.1111/gfs.12621","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Grassland degradation can substantially reduce soil carbon sequestration capacity. However, the effects of grassland degradation on soil organic carbon (SOC) density remain unquantified in high-altitude alpine meadows. In this study, the response and controlling mechanisms of topsoil (0–20 cm) organic carbon were explored in a field survey involving 11 pairs of healthy versus severely degraded plots of high-altitude (above 4000 m) alpine meadows, as well as three short-term (3–5 years) fencing restoration projects, across the source of the Yellow River in August of 2020 and 2021. The results showed that 0–20 cm root biomass, SOC content (SCC), and density (SCD) of healthy meadows averaged 533.7 ± 291.9 g/m² (mean ± S.D), 21.17 ± 9.36 g/kg, and 4.54 ± 1.64 kg C/m², respectively. Root biomass, SCC, and SCD were markedly reduced by 63.0%, 33.2%, and 17.6% in severely degraded grassland compared with healthy meadows. The SCC and SCD averaged 7.92 ± 2.21 g/kg and 2.2 ± 0.9 kg C/m² in fencing plots, respectively, and were not significantly different from severely degraded meadows, suggesting a limited improvement in SOC from short-term fencing restoration. Analysis of a piecewise structural equation model revealed that the effect of degradation on SCD (indicated by the difference in SCD between paired healthy and degraded meadows) was jointly regulated by the differential surface root biomass and site altitude, with a total positive effect of 0.39 and 0.26, respectively. Our findings indicate the losses of topsoil organic carbon stock caused by grassland degradation are root biomass- and altitude-dependent, supporting the notion that antecedent prevention of degradation, more than subsequent restoration, should be the highest priority in the adaptive management of alpine meadows in harsh high-altitude regions.</p>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"79 1","pages":"69-77"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2023-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46995879","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 lactic acid bacteria and molasses on the fermentation quality, in vitro dry matter digestibility, and microbial community of Korshinsk peashrub (Caragana korshinskii Kom.) silages harvested at two growth stages","authors":"Wencan Ke,&nbsp;Yan Wang,&nbsp;Marketta Rinne,&nbsp;Marcia de Oliveira Franco,&nbsp;Fuhou Li,&nbsp;Yufan Lin,&nbsp;Qing Zhang,&nbsp;Yimin Cai,&nbsp;Guijie Zhang","doi":"10.1111/gfs.12619","DOIUrl":"10.1111/gfs.12619","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study investigated the effects of additives on fermentation quality, in vitro digestibility and microbial communities of Korshinsk peashrub (<i>Caragana korshinskii</i> Kom.) silages at different maturity stages. Korshinsk peashrub was harvested at budding (S1) and blooming (S2) stages, and ensiled without additives (CON), or with 5% molasses (M0), or a combination of 5% molasses and either <i>L. plantarum</i> CLP (M1) or <i>L. plantarum</i> L694 (M2). Each treatment was triplicated and ensiled for 60 days. Delayed harvest increased water soluble carbohydrates (WSC), neutral detergent fibre (aNDF) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) in silages at S2 stage, whereas crude protein (CP) was lower in silages at S1 stage. Compared with the CON group, the additives treated silages had lower pH, greater lactic acid (LA), acetic acid (AA), and WSC concentrations (<i>p</i> &lt; .05). Application of molasses alone or in combination with CLP had a noticeable effect on bacterial communities, with an increase in <i>Lactobacillus</i> in silages at both stages, whereas M2 silages presented more unfavourable microorganisms. Spearman's rank correlation analysis showed that LA concentration in silage was positively correlated with <i>Lactobacillus</i> relative abundance at both stages, while ammonia nitrogen (NH₃-N) concentration was positively correlated with the relative abundances of <i>unclassified-f-Enterobacteriaceae</i> and <i>Enterobacter</i>. In conclusion, delayed harvest could result in greater WSC and aNDF but lower CP in Korshinsk peashrub silage. Low WSC is the primary limiting factor affecting silage quality, and ensiling with molasses accelerated lactic acid fermentation in Korshinsk peashrub silage, providing a high-quality forage resource for livestock production.</p>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"79 1","pages":"56-68"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2023-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43608684","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":"Alley cropping tree lines alter temperature and light quantity and influence daily growth rates of grassland","authors":"Rahel Sutterlütti,&nbsp;Manfred Kayser,&nbsp;Martin Komainda,&nbsp;Johannes Isselstein","doi":"10.1111/gfs.12618","DOIUrl":"10.1111/gfs.12618","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Trees alter microclimate and radiation budget in alley cropping systems, which in turn change physiological processes of the grassland component. The influence of the trees on grassland growth depends on the climate zone as well as possibly on weather conditions during the respective growth interval. The proportion of shade-tolerant species in the grassland further modifies the tree effect on grassland growth, as well as the number of annual harvests. We studied the effect of distance and orientation relative to the tree line (tree line in the South-West vs. North-East) on growth rates of the adjacent grassland with two cutting frequencies (frequent vs. infrequent) in an alley cropping system with grassland of two different vegetation compositions (diverse vs. grass-clover) and willow clones. Microclimate parameters and radiation were measured at the points where growth rates were determined to better characterize the effect of position relative to the tree line. Growth rates differed significantly (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05) depending on the distance to the trees and annual biomass accumulation amounted to 389 ± 13.5 g m⁻² in the center vs. 321 ± 10.0 g m⁻² with trees in the North-East vs. 292 ± 9.2 g m⁻² with trees in the South-West of the transect position. Lower growth rates occurred at positions with lower light quantities close to the trees, namely the position with the trees adjacent in the South-West. Temperature and relative humidity differences between the distances were significantly (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05) affected by distance to the tree line, but differences in neither soil nor air temperatures between the distances affected growth rates. Vegetation composition mediates the influence of the trees: the difference between positions was more pronounced in the diverse vegetation composition with higher productivities in the center between the alleys, but also with higher overall sward productivity.</p>","PeriodicalId":12767,"journal":{"name":"Grass and Forage Science","volume":"78 3","pages":"402-415"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2023-06-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/gfs.12618","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42466117","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}