ISSN:
1432-0789
Keywords:
Key words Defoliation
;
Microbial biomass
;
Microbial populations
;
Dehydrogenase activity
;
Respiration
;
Bacteria
;
Fungi
;
Upland grassland
;
Upland soil
;
Pseudomonas spp.
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Biology
,
Geosciences
,
Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition
Notes:
Abstract A microcosm study was conducted to investigate the effect of continuous plant defoliation on the composition and activity of microbial populations in the rhizosphere of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and white clover (Trifolium repens). Continuous defoliation of ryegrass and clover resulted in significant (P〈0.01) increases in soil microbial biomass, although whilst increases were measured from day 2 in soil sown with clover significant increases were only seen from day 21 in soil sown with ryegrass. These increases were paralleled, from day 10 onwards, by increases in the numbers of culturable bacteria. Numbers of Pseudomonas spp. also increased in the later stages of the study. No influence on culturable fungal populations was detected. Whilst shifts in the composition of the microbial populations were measured in response to defoliation there was little effect on microbial activity. No changes in either dehydrogenase activity or microbial respiration in the rhizosphere of ryegrass or clover were measured in response to defoliation, but both dehydrogenase activity and microbial respiration were greater in ryegrass than clover when values over the whole study were combined. Continuous defoliation resulted in significant (P〈0.001) reductions in the root dry weight of ryegrass and clover, of the order 19% and 16%, respectively.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01420220
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