Tillering in grain sorghum over a wide range of population densities: identification of a common hierarchy for tiller emergence, leaf area development and fertility.

ABSTRACT: Most studies of tiller development have not related the physiological and morphological features of each culm to its subsequent fertility. This introduces problems when trying to account for the effects of tillering on yield in crop models. The objective of this study was to detect the most likely early determinants of tiller fertility in sorghum by identifying hierarchies for emergence, fertility and grain number of tillers over a wide range of assimilate availabilities. Emergence, phenology, leaf area development and dry weight partitioning were quantified weekly for individual tillers and main culms of tillering and uniculm plants grown at one of four densities, from two to 16 plants m(-2). For a given plant in any given density, the same tiller hierarchy applied for emergence of tiller

SUBMITTER: Lafarge TA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4233856 | biostudies-literature | 2002 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature