Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/14449
Title: Water relations in two cultivars of Napier grass under variable water supply and temperature conditions
Contributor(s): Mwendia, Solomon Waweru (author); Yunusa, Isa  (author); Sindel, Brian M  (author)orcid ; Whalley, Ralph D  (author)orcid ; Kariuki, Innocent (author)
Publication Date: 2012
Open Access: Yes
Handle Link: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/14449
Open Access Link: https://www.agronomyaustraliaproceedings.org/images/sampledata/2012/8042_8_mwendia.pdfOpen Access Link
Abstract: Napier grass ('Pennisetum purpureum' Schumach.) is the main fodder for the dairy industry in eastern and southern Africa as in many other tropical/subtropical regions of the world. Plant water relations were assessed for two cultivars of Napier grass; Local and Bana, the latter being an infertile hybrid between 'P. purpureum' and 'P. glaucum'. Plants were grown in a controlled environment at diurnal maximum temperatures of either 25 or 35°C to assess their tissue water relations in response to variable water supply (25, 50 or 100% field capacity) to mimic current and possible future climatic conditions in east Africa. At 25% watering and 25°C Local had higher midday relative water content (RWC) than Bana, but not at 50 or 100% field capacity, at which RWC was higher for Bana than for the Local. At the cooler 25°C, Bana attained a leaf water potential (LWP) minimum of -2.88 MPa at 25% watering, while Local had -2.27 MPa. At 100% watering and 35°C, Bana had higher RWC and LWP than Local at 25%. In a hotter environment, Bana appears to maintain higher water status than Local at 25% when soil is at field capacity while other watering responses appear similar for both cultivars.
Publication Type: Conference Publication
Conference Details: AAC 2012: 16th Australian Agronomy Conference, Armidale, Australia, 14th - 18th October, 2012
Source of Publication: Capturing Opportunities and Overcoming Obstacles in Australian Agronomy: Proceedings of 16th Australian Agronomy Conference, p. 1-4
Publisher: Australian Society of Agronomy Inc
Place of Publication: Armidale, Australia
Fields of Research (FoR) 2008: 070305 Crop and Pasture Improvement (Selection and Breeding)
Fields of Research (FoR) 2020: 300406 Crop and pasture improvement (incl. selection and breeding)
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2008: 830499 Pasture, Browse and Fodder Crops not elsewhere classified
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2020: 100599 Pasture, browse and fodder crops not elsewhere classified
Peer Reviewed: Yes
HERDC Category Description: E1 Refereed Scholarly Conference Publication
Publisher/associated links: http://www.regional.org.au/au/asa/2012/soil-water-management/8042_mwendiasw.htm
https://www.agronomyaustraliaproceedings.org/index.php/hydrogen/10-2012/311-2012-soil-water-management-to-edit
Appears in Collections:Conference Publication
School of Environmental and Rural Science

Files in This Item:
4 files
File Description SizeFormat 
Show full item record

Page view(s)

1,276
checked on Aug 20, 2023

Download(s)

4
checked on Aug 20, 2023
Google Media

Google ScholarTM

Check


Items in Research UNE are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.