THE INFLUENCE OF GRASS ROOT SYSTEMS ON GROWTH AND FORM OF TRIFOLIUM-REPENS

Pure swards of Dactylis glomerata, Holcus lanatus and Lolium perenne were allowed to grow in boxes in a standard growth medium; one additional set of boxes with no grasses was used as a control. After 43 wk, all aboveground parts of the grasses were removed by harvesting at 2 cm below ground level. Trifolium repens collected from patches in a pasture dominated by these 3 grasses were introduced into each box and allowed to grow for 16 wk. Both site of origin of the T. repens clones and the treatment imposed by the grasses had significant influences on the growth and form of T. repens. Treatment effects were consistent for most characters, and on average, depression of growth was in the following order: Dactylis>Lolium>Holcus> control. -from Author