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Az avar rövid életű keresztesvirágú (Brassicaceae) gyomfajok csírázásra gyakorolt hatása
3-8Views:154Recruitment by seeds is essential both in vegetation dynamics and in supporting grassland biodiversity. Recruitment by seeds is feasible in suitable microsites from the seed rain and/or by establishment from persistent soil seed banks. Cessation of grassland management by grazing or mowing results in litter accumulation, which leads to the decrease of species richness by the decreased availability of open patches. Low amounts of litter are often beneficial, while high amounts of litter are detrimental for seed germination and seedling establishment of short-lived species. However, the magnitude of these effects on germination and seedling establishment in relation to litter and seed attributes are scarcely studied. This motivated us to design an indoor experiment to explore the effects of litter on seedling establishment. We germinated six short-lived Brassicaceae species (Arabidopsis thaliana, Capsella bursa-pastoris, Descurainia sophia, Erophila verna, Lepidium campestre, and Lepidium perfoliatum) with different seed mass under increasing litter cover. We found that both seed mass and litter had significant effect on germination and establishment of the sown species. Small-seeded species were significantly negatively affected by the 300 g/m2 and/or 600 g/m2 litter layers. No negative litter effect was detected for species with high seed masses (Lepidium spp.). No overall significant positive litter effect was found, although for most of the species; total seedling numbers was not the highest at the “bare soil” pots. Our results suggest that the effects of litter accumulation on the germination and establishment of short-lived species are less feasible in case of large-seeded species than on small-seeded ones.
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Laser biostimulation of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) seeds in a pilot study
3-9Views:90In our pilot study, perennial ryegrass seeds were exposed to 0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 minutes of single-wavelength red laser (660 nm, 150 mW) irradiation, and were grown to 13 weeks of age. No statistically significant effects were observed in germination rate or seedling shoot length. However, the 2- and 4-minute treatments significantly increased shoot length in 13-week-old plants by 28% and 19%, respectively, compared to the control. There were no significant differences in shoot or root weight of the 13-week-old plants, though shoot dry weight was 57% to 65% higher across all treatments. The shoot-to-root dry weight ratio increased in all treatments compared to the control, with the 1-minute treatment significantly exceeding the control by 54%. The protein content of the entire seedlings was notably lower in the 1- and 2-minute treatments and higher in the 4-minute treatment than in the control, as measured by NIRS analysis. The fiber fractions examined (NDF, ADF, hemicellulose) surpassed the control values in the shoots of 13-week-old plants under all treatments, but these differences were not statistically significant.
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On either side of the electric fence: A botanical study of the autumnal aspect of the drained lake bed of a domestic water buffalo pasture in the Zamoly Basin
9-14Views:245Our studies were carried out in a water buffalo pasture of the Zámolyi basin, in the area of the Csíkvarsai meadow, in the bed of a former lake, which was drained in 2022, then dried up by autumn and it was grazed by domestic water buffalo. The grazed area was surrounded by an electric fence. The vegetation of this part of the area and part of the outside was surveyed on 19 of November. We took 3-3 coenological surveys in both separated areas. Based on the results, there were significant floristic and physiognomic differences in the vegetation. Among the clover species, species with ground-running stems (Trifolium repens and T. fragiferum) were dominant in the grazed area, but in the ungrazed area, there was a coherent plant population of 30-40 cm high, densely located alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum) in the lake bed. In addition, the occurrence of swamp pricklegrass (Crypsis schoenoides) was a floristic new discovery.
Due to the loss of water coverage, several Trifolium species have become abundant in the area, which is a result of the germination properties of the species. The thick seed coats were cracked by the loss of the effect of the water coverage on temperature equalisation, and germination could have begun, resulting in a dominant species in the area. During the present study, we have seen a very impressive result of the analysis of the vegetation of the lake bed in autumn aspect in the Zámolyi Basin, which is the result of the impact of water buffalo grazing. The number of species was more significant in the grazed area. Moreover, floristic rarities have been found and as an indicator of grazing, species of different life form types were dominant within the same genus. -
Arsenic accumulation in English Ryegrass (Lolium perenne)
67-68Views:251Arsenic contamination globally occurs in groundwater especially in deeper layers. Soil type, structure, water availability and land use both effect its concentration which varies between 10-170 µg/l. As more deep wells have been erected to access underground aquifers, arsenic accumulation became regular risk. Plants are in direct contact with groundwater therefore potential accumulators for heavy metals or metalloids. Through the food chain, both animals and humans are able to build up certain amount of metals and metal like salts. These elements accumulate in living tissues and may interrupt crucial physiological cycles (transcription, CO2-release). We focused on English ryegrass (Lolium perenne) because its known genome sequence and wide cultivar availability. This species is often used as optimal roughage for ruminants and horses. Also used as lab-plant because its fast germination rate.