GROWTH RATE, BIOMASS PRODUCTION AND DYNAMICS OF CARBOHYDRATE MOBILIZATION IN CULTIVATED Adesmia bicolor (POIR.) DC (FABACEAE)
Verónica Pérez1, Mercedes Panzitta1, Carla Vidal1, Sara Basconsuelo1, 2, Juan Gorjon1, Damaris Fitzimons1, Rosana Malpassi1 2, Luciana Bianco1,2**
ABSTRACT
Native perennial legumes are an important component of rangelands in many parts of the world and may contribute to improve the nutritional value of natural and cultivated grazing systems. In the arid and semi-arid central region of Argentina, the domestication of species with forage potential, such as Adesmia bicolor (Poir.) DC, has begun. The objective of this work was to evaluate a crop of Adesmia bicolor (Poir.) DC and relate crop growth to biomass production, and carbohydrate mobilization dynamics during one year. To evaluate growth dynamics, seedlings and adult plants were selected, and vegetative and reproductive variables were recorded every 7 to 10 days. In addition, aerial and ground biomass samples were taken in an area of 0,0625 m2 every 60 days and processed to determine carbohydrate mobilization dynamics. The low stem:root ratio observed in the seedlings and the clonal growth of A. bicolor adults plants favor the establishment and development of the crop, reaching its maximum vegetative growth in winter/spring. This maximum growth is determined by high cotyledonary and prophyllar branching with increased internode length. The indefinite life cycle guarantees an important photosynthetic rate that allows for not only crop persistence, but also enough carbohydrate concentration in roots and stolons, which permits a rapid recovery during regrowth. These results indicate that A. bicolor is a species that has desirable attributes for forage production.
Key words: native legumes, forage, Adesmia bicolor, reserve mobilization.
1 Laboratorio de Morfología Vegetal, Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Ruta 36 km 601, (5800) Río Cuarto, Provincia de Córdoba, Argentina.
2 Instituto de Investigaciones Agrobiotecnológicas (INIAB CONICET-UNRC), Ruta 36 km 601, (5800) Río Cuarto, Provincia de Córdoba, Argentina.
*Autor para correspondencia E-mail: lbianco@ayv.unrc.edu.ar
