Abstract
Abstract Total nonstructural carbohydrates (TNC) stored in roots are thought to be an important energy source for growth following herbage removal in many forage legumes. This study was conducted to determine if root TNC levels fluctuate during harvest and regrowth cycles of annual lespedeza ( Kummerowia spp.). Annual lespedeza management treatments consisted of harvesting at a 6‐ or 12‐cm stubble height at the end of July and a nonharvested control. Seeding‐year ‘Nitro’ alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) and ‘Norcen’ birdsfoot trefoil ( Lotus corniculatus L.) were included for comparison. Alfalfa was harvested four times at early bloom and birdsfoot trefoil three times at early bloom. Alfalfa exhibited a cyclic pattern of TNC utilization and storage in response to herbage removal and regrowth, respectively. Seedling alfalfa accumulated >150 g kg −1 TNC in the roots by 10 June, and >450 g kg −1 by first harvest. Seedling birdsfoot trefoil maintained <70 g kg −1 TNC in the roots through mid‐September and did not exhibit as much TNC cycling as did alfalfa. Annual lespedeza averaged ≈ 20 g kg −1 TNC in the roots prior to harvest and maintained <40 g kg −1 throughout the growing season. Harvesting annual lespedeza at 6 cm decreased root TNC levels for ≈ 5 wk compared with harvesting at 12 cm and the nonharvested controls; however, the total amount of reduction was small. Root TNC levels decreased by 6.1 g kg −1 with cutting at 6 cm. As annual lespedeza maintains relatively small amounts of root TNC, leaving residual leaf area at harvest may be important for regrowth.
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Claims 10
Claim · model-written summary
Alfalfa root TNC cycled through use and storage after removal and regrowth.
- Taxon
- Alfalfa
Medicago sativae0t0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Alfalfa exhibited a cyclic pattern of TNC utilization and storage in response to herbage removal and regrowth, respectively.”
t0“Total Nonstructural Carbohydrate Accumulation in Roots of Annual Lespedeza”
Claim · model-written summary
Seedling alfalfa root TNC exceeded 150 g kg −1 by 10 June.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativae0
- Organ / stage
- rootse0
- Outcome
- TNC in the rootse0
- Value
- >150 g kg −1e0
- Qualifier
- by 10 Junee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Seedling alfalfa accumulated >150 g kg −1 TNC in the roots by 10 June”
Claim · model-written summary
Seedling alfalfa root TNC exceeded 450 g kg −1 by first harvest.
- Taxon
- alfalfaMedicago sativae0e1e3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“and >450 g kg −1 by first harvest.”
e1“and >450 g kg −1 by first harvest.”
e3“Seedling alfalfa accumulated >150 g kg −1 TNC in the roots by 10 June”
Claim · model-written summary
Seedling birdsfoot trefoil root TNC stayed below 70 g kg −1 through mid-September.
Verbatim
e0“Seedling birdsfoot trefoil maintained <70 g kg −1 TNC in the roots through mid‐September”
Claim · model-written summary
Birdsfoot trefoil showed less TNC cycling than alfalfa.
Verbatim
e0“did not exhibit as much TNC cycling as did alfalfa.”
e1“did not exhibit as much TNC cycling as did alfalfa.”
e3“Seedling birdsfoot trefoil maintained <70 g kg −1 TNC in the roots through mid‐September”
Claim · model-written summary
Annual lespedeza root TNC averaged approximately 20 g kg −1 before harvest.
Verbatim
e0“Annual lespedeza averaged ≈ 20 g kg −1 TNC in the roots prior to harvest”
Claim · model-written summary
Annual lespedeza root TNC remained below 40 g kg −1 through the season.
Verbatim
e0“maintained <40 g kg −1 throughout the growing season.”
e1“maintained <40 g kg −1 throughout the growing season.”
e3“Annual lespedeza averaged ≈ 20 g kg −1 TNC in the roots prior to harvest”
Claim · model-written summary
Six-centimetre harvesting reduced annual lespedeza root TNC versus 12 cm and no harvest for about five weeks.
Verbatim
e0“Harvesting annual lespedeza at 6 cm decreased root TNC levels for ≈ 5 wk compared with harvesting at 12 cm and the nonharvested controls”
Claim · model-written summary
Cutting annual lespedeza at 6 cm decreased root TNC by 6.1 g kg −1.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Root TNC levels decreased by 6.1 g kg −1 with cutting at 6 cm.”
t0“Total Nonstructural Carbohydrate Accumulation in Roots of Annual Lespedeza”
Claim · model-written summary
Authors suggest retaining leaf area at lespedeza harvest for regrowth.
Verbatim
e0“leaving residual leaf area at harvest may be important for regrowth.”
e1“leaving residual leaf area at harvest may be important for regrowth.”
e3“As annual lespedeza maintains relatively small amounts of root TNC”