SOME PHYSIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN MIXTURES OF COCKSFOOT AND TALL FESCUE WITH SUBTERRANEAN CLOVER

Prof. Viliana Vasileva, Anna Ilieva

Abstract: Some physiological parameters (leafl et area, photosynthetic pigments) of subterranean clover, cocksfoot and tall fescue were studied in a fi eld trial in the Institute of Forage Crops, Pleven, Bulgaria (2011-2014). Three subspecies of subclovers – i.e. Trifolium subterraneum ssp. brachycalicinum (cv. Antas), Trifolium subterraneum ssp. yaninicum (cv. Trikkala) and Trifolium subterraneum ssp. subterraneum (cv. Denmark); and two grasses, i.e. cocksfoot (Dactylis glomerata L.) (cv. Dabrava) and tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) (cv. Albena) were grown purely and in mixture (a ratio of grass to subclovers 50:50%).
From pure grown subclovers most leafl et area formed Trifolium subterraneum ssp. brachycalicinum (2.11 cm2), followed by Trifolium subterraneum ssp. yaninicum (1.98 cm2) and Trifolium subterraneum ssp. subterraneum (1.42 cm2). For the plastid pigments content subclovers were arranged as follows: Trifolium subterraneum ssp. brachycalicinum (300.18 mg/100 gFW), Trifolium subterraneum ssp. subterraneum (283.53 mg/100 g FW) and Trifolium subterraneum ssp. yaninicum (283.35 mg/100 g FW). Leafl et area of subclover was greater in mixtures with cocksfoot as compared to tall fescue. Total plastid pigments content (chlorophyll a+b and carotenoids) was found be higher in both components of the mixtures of cocksfoot with Trifolium subterraneum ssp. brachycalicinum (by 16.2% and 10.6%, respectively).

Keywords: leaflet area, plastid pigments, subterranean clover, mixtures

Date published: 2017-02-16