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Notes: Abstract. Artificial urine containing 20.2 g N per patch of 0.2 m2 was applied in May and September to permanent grassland swards of a long-term experiment in the western uplands of Germany (location Rengen/Eifel), which were fertilized with 0, 120, 240, 360 kg N ha−1 yr−1 given as calcium ammonium nitrate. The effect on N2O fluxes measured regularly during a 357-day period with the closed-chamber technique were as follows. (1) N2O emission varied widely among the fertilized control areas without urine, and when a threshold water-filled pore space 〉60% was exceeded, the greater the topsoil nitrate content the greater the flux from the individual urine patches on the fertilized swards. (2) After urine application in May, 1.4–4.2% of the applied urine-N was lost as N2O from the fertilized swards; and after urine application in September, 0.3–0.9% of the applied urine-N was lost. The primary influence on N2O flux from urine patches was the date of simulated grazing, N-fertilization rate being a secondary influence. (3) The large differences in N2O emissions between unfertilized and fertilized swards after May-applied urine contrasted with only small differences after urine applied in September, indicating an interaction between time of urine application and N-fertilizer rate. (4) The estimated annual N2O emissions were in the range 0.6–1.6 kg N2O-N per livestock unit, or 1.4, 3.6, 4.1 and 5.1 kg N2O-N ha−1 from the 0–360 kg ha−1 of fertilizer-N. The study demonstrated that date of grazing and N-fertilizer application could influence the N2O emission from urine patches to such an extent that both factors should be considered in detailed large-scale estimations of N2O fluxes from grazed grassland.

Notes: The bacterial decomposition of grass fructosans with different degrees of polymerization was monitored in vitro. The period required for the microbial decomposition of polymeric fructosans was directly related to the extent of polymerization. It was concluded that there might be a relationship between the digestibility of other organic nutrients of fodder plants and polymerization and that polymerization increases with maturity of the plant.

Notes: Es wurden die Monosaccharid-, Disaccharid- und Stärke gehalte in Wurzeln und Spross von Rumex obtusifotius in Abhängigkeit vom Entwicklungsstadium untersucht. Es zeigte sich, dass der Reservestoffwechsel von Rumex obtusifolius durch drei Phasen gekennzeichnet ist. (1) Phase: Die Pflanze treibt nach dem Winter oder nach einem Schnitt aus. In dieser Zeit nimmt der Stärkegehalt in den Wurzeln ab. Es findet keine Einlagerung statt. (2) Phase: Ab etwa 30 em Wuchshöhe der blütentragenden Sprosse beginnt die Einlagerungsphase. Es erfolgi ein sprunghafter Ansiieg der Starkegehalte in den Wurzeln. Die Einlagerungsphase endet ausgangs der Blute mit dem Abschluss der Sprosstreckung. (3) Phase: Die Samen reifen ab, die blütentragenden Sprosse vertrocknen. Der Stärkegehalt der Wurzeln verändert sich nur noch geringfägig.Diese Befunde deuten darauf hin, dass die grösste Menge an Herbiziden vom Typ der Phenoxyverbindungen kurz vor und während der Blüte in die Speicherorgane von R. obtusifolius transportiert werden dürften. Storage metabolism in broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius)The amounts of monosaccharide, disaccharide and starch present in roots and shoots of Rumex obtusifotlius were investigated together with their relationship to the stage of development of the plant. It was found that storage metabolism of R. obtusifolius is characterized by three phases. Phase 1: the emergence of shoots after the winter or after cutting. During this period the starch content of the roots decreases and no storage lakes place. Phase 2: When the flower-bearing shoots are about 30 cm long. The storage phase now begins and an abrupt increase in the starch content of the roots occurs. The storage phase ends with the opening of the flower after the completion of shoot elongation. Phase 3. The seeds ripen and the flower-bearing shoots wither. Changes in the starch content of the roots are insignificant.These findings indicate that the majority of the phenoxy-type herbicides might well be translocated into the storage organs of R. obtusifolius shortly before and during flowering.Métabolisme des reserves chez la patience sauvage (Rumex obtusifolius)Les teneurs en monosaccharide, en disaccharide et en amidon présentes dans les racines et les pousses de Rumex obtusifolius ont étéévaluées en même temps que leur relation avec le stade de developpement de la plante. Il a été constaté que le métabolisme des réserves chez R. obtusifolius est caractérisé par trois phases: Phase 1: sortie des pousses aprés l'hiver ou après une coupe. Durant cette période, la teneur en amidon des racines décroít et il n'y a pas dc mise en réserve. Phase 2: lorsque les hampes florales ont environ 30 cm de long. La phase de mise en réserve commence alors et un brusque accroissement de la teneur en amidon se produit. La période de mise en réserve se termine avec l'ouverture de la fleur, aprés l'élongation complète de la tige. Phase 3: les semences mûrissent et les hampes florales se fanent. Les changements de teneur en amidon des racines sont insignifiants.Ces résultats montrent que la majorité: des herbicides de la série phénoxy peuvent aisément migrer dans les organes de stockage de R. obtusifolius peu de temps avant la floraison et pendant celle-ci.

Notes: 
cv, cultivar
δ, deviation of C isotope composition from a standard
Δ, C isotope discrimination
WSC, water soluble carbohydrates

Steady-state labelling of all post-anthesis photosynthate of wheat was performed to assess the mobilization of pre-anthesis C (C fixed prior to anthesis) in vegetative plant parts during grain filling. Results were compared with estimates obtained by indirect approaches to mobilization of pre-anthesis C: ‘classical’ growth analysis and balance sheets of water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and protein. Experiments were performed with two spring wheat cultivars grown with differential nitrogen fertilizer supply in 1991 and 1992. The fraction of pre-anthesis C mobilized in above-ground vegetative biomass ranged between 24 and 34% of total C present at anthesis. Treatment effects on mobilization of pre-anthesis C in total above-ground vegetative biomass were closely related (r2 = 0·89) to effects on mobilization of WSC-C plus protein-C (estimated as N mobilized × 3·15). On average, 81% of pre-anthesis C mobilization was attributable to the balance of pre-anthesis WSC (48%) and protein (33%) between anthesis and maturity. In roots, WSC and protein mobilization accounted for only 29% of the loss of pre-anthesis C. Notably, mobilization of pre-anthesis C was 1·4–2·6 times larger than the net loss of C from above-ground vegetative biomass between anthesis and maturity. This discrepancy was mainly due to post-anthesis C accumulation in glumes and stem. Post-anthesis C accumulation was related to continued synthesis of structural biomass after anthesis and accounted for a mean 15% of total C contained in above-ground vegetative plant parts at maturity. A close correspondence between net loss of C and mobilization of pre-anthesis C was only apparent in leaf blades and leaf sheaths. Although balance sheets of WSC and protein also underrated the mobilization of pre-anthesis C by ≈ 19%, they gave a much better estimate of pre-anthesis C mobilization than growth analysis.

Notes: 
 δ, C isotope composition relative to Pee Dee Belemnite
WSC, water-soluble carbohydrates
N, nitrogen
C, carbon
cv, cultivar
ME, efficiency of mobilized pre-anthesis C utilization in grain filling (g C g–1C)

Significant mobilization of protein and carbohydrates in vegetative plant parts of wheat regularly occurs during grain filling. While this suggests a contribution of reserves to grain filling, the actual efficiency of mobilized assimilate conversion into grain mass (ME) is unknown. In the present study the contribution of pre-anthesis C (C fixed prior to anthesis) to grain filling in main stem ears of two spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars was determined by 13C/12C steady-state labelling. Mobilization of pre-anthesis C in vegetative plant parts between anthesis and maturity, and the contributions of water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) and protein to pre-anthesis C mobilization were also assessed. Experiments were performed with two levels of N fertilizer supply in each of 2 years. Pre-anthesis reserves contributed 11–29% to the total mass of C in grains at maturity. Pre-anthesis C accumulation in grains was dependent on both the mass of pre-anthesis C mobilized in above-ground vegetative plant parts (r2 = 0·87) and ME (defined as g pre-anthesis C deposited in grains per g pre-anthesis C mobilized in above-ground vegetative plant parts; r2 = 0·40). ME varied between 0·48 and 0·75. The effects of years, N fertilizer treatments and cultivars on ME were all related to differences in the fractional contribution of WSC to pre-anthesis C mobilization. Multiple regression analysis indicated that C from mobilized pre-anthesis WSC may be used more efficiently in grain filling than C present in proteins at anthesis and mobilized during grain filling. Possible causes for variability of ME are discussed.

Notes: Abstract Relative elemental growth rates (REGR) and lengths of epidermal cells along the elongation zone of Lolium perenne L. leaves were determined at four developmental stages ranging from shortly after emergence of the leaf tip to shortly before cessation of leaf growth. Plants were grown at constant light and temperature. At all developmental stages the length of epidermal cells in the elongation zone of both the blade and sheath increased from 12 μm at the leaf base to about 550 μm at the distal end of the elongation zone, whereas the length of epidermal cells within the joint region only increased from 12 to 40 μm. Throughout the developmental stages elongation was confined to the basal 20 to 30 mm of the leaf with maximum REGR occurring near the center of the elongation zone. Leaf elongation rate (LER) and the spatial distributions of REGR and epidermal cell lengths were steady to a first approximation between emergence of the leaf tip and transition from blade to sheath growth. Elongation of epidermal cells in the sheath started immediately after the onset of elongation of the most proximal blade epidermal cells. During transition from blade to sheath growth the length of the blade and sheath portion of the elongation zone decreased and increased, respectively, with the total length of the elongation zone and the spatial distribution of REGR staying near constant, with exception of the joint region which elongated little during displacement through the elongation zone. Leaf elongation rate decreased rapidly during the phase when only the sheath was growing. This was associated with decreasing REGR and only a small decrease in the length of the elongation zone. Data on the spatial distributions of growth rates and of epidermal cell lengths during blade elongation were used to derive the temporal pattern of epidermal cell elongation. These data demonstrate that the elongation rate of an epidermal cell increased for days and that cessation of epidermal cell elongation was an abrupt event with cell elongation rate declining from maximum to zero within less than 10 h.