The changing plant and tiller populations of timothy and meadow fescue swards. I. Plant survival and the pattern of tillering

Abstract

In recent years several studies have increased our understanding of the growth and development of perennial herbage grasses. In particular, the production, life-history and development of individual tillers of single plants of timothy (Phleum pratense) grown in pots have been described (Langer 1956, 1957). As these studies took no account of competition between plants in swards, the growth of pure swards of timothy and meadow fescue (Festuca pratensis) was analysed in the field, first under conditions of uninterrupted growth (Langer 1958) and then under several cutting regimes (Langer 1959; Lambert 1962). However, since these experiments involved destructive sampling of small random areas of sward, no information could be obtained on the effect of management on the life-history of tillers or on the effect of competition on plant numbers. To consolidate the knowledge gained from previous work and to elucidate the fate of the individual components of the sward, an experiment was designed in which the life-histories of all tillers which arose within small, permanent quadrats of pure timothy and meadow fescue swards were studied over a period of 3 years. In this way it was possible to study, qualitatively and quantitatively, the development of swards of these two species from the seedling stage, under two cutting treatments based on agricultural practice.