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Forage Plant Ecophysiology under Different Stress Conditions
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Forage Plant Ecophysiology under Different Stress Conditions

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Crop Physiology and Crop Production".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 March 2023) | Viewed by 10648

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Agustín A. Grimoldi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
IFEVA, CONICET, Cátedra de Forrajicultura, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Av. San Martín 4453, Buenos Aires C1417DSE, Argentina
Interests: ecophysiology of forage plants; defoliation; flooding; nutritional deficits; plant-mycorrhiza interactions; community dynamics in grasslands
Dr. Carla E. Di Bella

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
IFEVA - CONICET, Cátedra de Forrajicultura, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Av. San Martín 4453, Buenos Aires C1417DSE, Argentina
Interests: ecophysiology of forage plants; salinity; waterlogging; combined stress; halomorphic environments

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Forage production is likely to occur in fragile environments with low fertility and diverse limitations. The main topic of this Special Issue is the study of the effects and new mechanisms of tolerance and recovery to different conditions of environmental stress on forage species. Moreover, climate change could increase the likelihood of several stress events due to, for example, severe rainfall leading to soil waterlogging or submergence, extreme temperatures and drought conditions, negatively influencing plant growth and productivity. New livestock production systems are also frequently used under tree or shrub covers where forage plants grow in variable ranges of shading. Knowledge of the effects and mechanisms of tolerance and recovery to abiotic stress conditions are important as a basis for the genetic improvement of forage species and to develop optimal grazing management strategies that facilitate the production, quality and persistence of valuable species and environmental sustainability.

The most common limitations are due to drought, flooding, salinity, nutrient deficits, heat stress, freezing temperatures and shading. In turn, each of these abiotic stresses generally acts in combination with defoliation or with another of stressor (e.g., flooding and salinity, drought and heat stress, among others). They can even act in different temporal sequences in relation to the environmental variability of the system, which was also increased by climate change. In general, information is available on the response to each individual stress, but less is known about the ecophysiological mechanisms involved in the tolerance to the combination and temporal sequences of different types of stress.

In this Special Issue of Plants, Forage Plant Ecophysiology under Different Stress Conditions, contributions (original research papers, perspectives, hypotheses, opinions, reviews, modelling approaches and methods) on forage plants, canopies and pastures (C3/C4 grasses and legumes) from different fields of research such as biochemistry, physiology, ecophysiology and crop science are most welcome.

Dr. Agustín A. Grimoldi
Dr. Carla E. Di Bella
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • flooding
  • drought
  • salinity
  • nutritional deficits
  • warming
  • heat stress
  • freezing tolerance
  • shading
  • toxicity
  • stress sequences
  • combined stress
  • recovery
  • climate change
  • defoliation
  • grazing
  • c3 grasses
  • c4 grasses
  • legumes

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research

4 pages, 189 KiB  
Editorial
Forage Plant Ecophysiology under Different Stress Conditions
by Agustín A. Grimoldi and Carla E. Di Bella
Plants 2024, 13(10), 1302; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13101302 - 9 May 2024
Viewed by 406
Abstract
Forage production often occurs in fragile environments with low fertility and various limitations [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forage Plant Ecophysiology under Different Stress Conditions)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

19 pages, 1804 KiB  
Article
Structural and Morphogenetic Characteristics in Paspalum notatum: Responses to Nitrogen Fertilization, Season, and Genotype
by Roberto R. Schulz, Alex L. Zilli, Elsa A. Brugnoli, Florencia Marcón and Carlos A. Acuña
Plants 2023, 12(14), 2633; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12142633 - 13 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 807
Abstract
Understanding leaf generation dynamics, their seasonal changes, and their responses to nitrogen fertilization (NF) is key to improving pasture utilization efficiency. The objectives of this research were to determine structural and morphogenetic variables underlying changes in herbage mass on a set of Paspalum [...] Read more.
Understanding leaf generation dynamics, their seasonal changes, and their responses to nitrogen fertilization (NF) is key to improving pasture utilization efficiency. The objectives of this research were to determine structural and morphogenetic variables underlying changes in herbage mass on a set of Paspalum notatum genotypes. Ten P. notatum genotypes were evaluated in experimental plots following a completely randomized block design under a split-plot arrangement for two N-rates during four periods. Increased herbage mass (HM) after N-fertilization was explained by a higher tiller density (TD) (41.8%) and tiller weight (TW) (22.1%). The increment of TW after NF was due to the increase in leaf blade length (LBL) and width (LBW). During the flowering season, NF increases the reproductive tiller density by 262.5%. Seasonal variation in HM was mainly explained by changes in LBL that modified TW. Morphogenetic traits differed between genotypes of different growth habits; therefore, different management practices are suggested. The average increase in leaf elongation rate in response to NF was about 36.7%, generating longer leaves despite reductions in leaf elongation time (LET). The depletion in LBL and consequently in TW and HM during the autumn was attributed to the reduction in LET. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forage Plant Ecophysiology under Different Stress Conditions)
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17 pages, 2719 KiB  
Article
Genetic Diversity, Population Structure and Subset Development in a Sesbania sesban Collection
by Alemayehu Teressa Negawo, Habib Olumide Akinmade, Meki S. Muktar, Ermias Habte, Yilikal Assefa, Alice Muchugi, Alieu M. Sartie and Chris S. Jones
Plants 2023, 12(1), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12010013 - 20 Dec 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1667
Abstract
Sesbania sesban (L.) Merr. is a multipurpose legume tree grown primarily for fodder and forage in the tropical and subtropical world. In this study, the Sesbania sesban collection maintained in the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) forage Genebank was studied using genome-wide markers [...] Read more.
Sesbania sesban (L.) Merr. is a multipurpose legume tree grown primarily for fodder and forage in the tropical and subtropical world. In this study, the Sesbania sesban collection maintained in the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) forage Genebank was studied using genome-wide markers generated on the DArTseq platform. Genotyping produced 84,673 and 60,626 SNP and SilicoDArT markers with a mean polymorphic information content of 0.153 and 0.123, respectively. From the generated markers, 7587 and 15,031 highly informative SNP and SilicoDArT markers, respectively, were filtered and used for genetic diversity analysis and subset development. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed higher variability ‘within’ (52.73% for SNP markers and 67.36% for SilicoDArT markers) than ‘between’ accessions. Hierarchical cluster analysis showed the presence of four main clusters in the collection. Mantel correlation analysis showed a lack of relationship between genetic variation of the germplasm and their geographical origin. A representative subset of 34 accessions containing germplasm from diverse origins and agro-ecologies was developed using SNP markers. The genetic diversity information generated in this study could be used for marker-assisted screening for stress tolerance, gap analysis and identification and acquisition of new distinct genotype(s) to broaden the genetic basis of the collection for future improvement programs to develop high-yielding, stress-tolerant varieties for enhancing food and environmental security in crop–livestock-based production systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forage Plant Ecophysiology under Different Stress Conditions)
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15 pages, 1202 KiB  
Article
Seed Weight and Trade-Offs: An Experiment in False Rhodes Grasses under Different Aridity Conditions
by Lorena Marinoni, Juan M. Zabala, R. Emiliano Quiroga, Geraldina A. Richard and José F. Pensiero
Plants 2022, 11(21), 2887; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11212887 - 28 Oct 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1090
Abstract
The false Rhodes grasses [Leptochloa crinita (Lag.) P.M. Peterson and N.W. Snow and Leptochloa pluriflora (E. Fourn.) P.M. Peterson and N.W. Snow] are considered valuable native forage resources for arid and semiarid rangelands in Argentina and the United States. Effectively using plant [...] Read more.
The false Rhodes grasses [Leptochloa crinita (Lag.) P.M. Peterson and N.W. Snow and Leptochloa pluriflora (E. Fourn.) P.M. Peterson and N.W. Snow] are considered valuable native forage resources for arid and semiarid rangelands in Argentina and the United States. Effectively using plant materials as forage under aridity conditions requires understanding their resource allocation under those conditions. In the present study, plant functional traits were evaluated in six populations of each false Rhodes grass species from different geographic origin in a humid and an arid region. The evaluation was focused on seed weight, due to the key role of this trait in plant survival. The implication of seed weight in germination under osmotic stress and trade-off relationships between functional traits were also analysed. A fixed ontogenetic variation was found in both species, since populations maintained a stable seed weight across environments. The tolerance to osmotic stress at germination stage was more related to seed weight than to population origin or maternal environment of seeds; heavier-seeded populations produced heavier seedlings instead of a higher number of germinated seeds or higher germination rates. Some traits varied between environments but other traits exhibited a fixed response. Variation patterns among populations were similar within environments and in some cases even for populations from the same geographic origin, revealing a fixed ontogenetic variation; this phenomenon was clearer in L. crinita than in L. pluriflora. Moreover, several different trade-off strategies were detected in both species. These results reinforce the knowledge about the key role of seed weight in survival and performance of seedlings at initial growth stages under arid conditions; however, at advanced stages, other traits would have an important function in growth and development of false Rhodes grasses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forage Plant Ecophysiology under Different Stress Conditions)
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12 pages, 1259 KiB  
Article
High Recovery from Either Waterlogging or Drought Overrides Any Beneficial Acclimation of Chloris gayana Facing a Subsequent Round of Stress
by Federico P. O. Mollard, Carla E. Di Bella, María B. Loguzzo, Agustín A. Grimoldi and Gustavo G. Striker
Plants 2022, 11(20), 2699; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11202699 - 13 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1663
Abstract
Climate models predict that plants will face extreme fluctuations in water availability in future global change scenarios. Then, forage production will be more frequently subjected to the destabilizing pressure of sequentially occurring waterlogging and drought events. While the isolated effects of drought (D) [...] Read more.
Climate models predict that plants will face extreme fluctuations in water availability in future global change scenarios. Then, forage production will be more frequently subjected to the destabilizing pressure of sequentially occurring waterlogging and drought events. While the isolated effects of drought (D) and waterlogging (WL) are well characterized, little is known about the consequences when both stresses occur sequentially. We hypothesized that plants sequentially subjected to opposite water scenarios (D followed by WL or vice versa) are less stress tolerant than plants experiencing repetitions of the same type of water stress (i.e., D + D or WL + WL) due to contrasting acclimation and allocation to either shoots (WL) or roots (D). Chloris gayana (a tropical forage grass capable of tolerating either D and WL) plants were randomly assigned to nine treatments (a sequence of two stress rounds—WL or D—each followed by a recovery phase at field capacity). Relative growth rates and allometric responses were measured after each stress round and recovery period. In the first round of stress, both WL and D reduced plant RGR similarly, despite their allocation being opposite—prioritizing shoots or roots under WL and D, respectively. The high recovery displayed after either WL or D overrode any possible acclimation of the plants facing a second round of water stress. We conclude that the tolerance of C. gayana to sequential water stress (either for WL or D) is likely to depend more heavily on its recovery ability than on its previous adjustment to any stress scenario that may evoke memory responses. Knowledge like this could help improve forage grass breeding and the selection of cultivars for poorly drained soils subject to sequential stress events. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forage Plant Ecophysiology under Different Stress Conditions)
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34 pages, 5444 KiB  
Article
Productivity and Feed Quality Performance of Napier Grass (Cenchrus purpureus) Genotypes Growing under Different Soil Moisture Levels
by Ermias Habte, Abel Teshome, Meki S. Muktar, Yilikal Assefa, Alemayehu T. Negawo, Juarez Campolina Machado, Francisco José da Silva Ledo and Chris S. Jones
Plants 2022, 11(19), 2549; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11192549 - 28 Sep 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2541
Abstract
In the semi-arid and arid environments of Sub-Sharan Africa, forage availability throughout the year is insufficient and highly limited during the dry seasons due to limited precipitation. Thus, the identification of drought stress-tolerant forage cultivars is one of the main activities in forage [...] Read more.
In the semi-arid and arid environments of Sub-Sharan Africa, forage availability throughout the year is insufficient and highly limited during the dry seasons due to limited precipitation. Thus, the identification of drought stress-tolerant forage cultivars is one of the main activities in forage development programs. In this study, Napier grass (Cenchrus purpureus), an important forage crop in Eastern and Central Africa that is broadly adapted to produce across tropical environments, was evaluated for its water use efficiency and production performance under field drought stress conditions. Eighty-four Napier grass genotypes were evaluated for their drought stress tolerance from 2018 to 2020 using agro-morphological and feed quality traits under two soil moisture stress regimes during the dry season, i.e., moderate (MWS) and severe (SWS) water stress conditions, and under rainfed conditions in the wet season (wet). Overall, the results indicated the existence of genotype variation for the traits studied. In general, the growth and productivity of the genotypes declined under SWS compared to MWS conditions. High biomass-yielding genotypes with enhanced WUE were consistently observed across harvests in each soil moisture stress regime. In addition, the top biomass-yielding genotypes produced the highest annual crude protein yield, indicating the possibility of developing high-feed-quality Napier grass genotypes for drought stress environments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forage Plant Ecophysiology under Different Stress Conditions)
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24 pages, 3723 KiB  
Article
Ecophysiological Responses of Tall Wheatgrass Germplasm to Drought and Salinity
by Celina I. Borrajo, Adela M. Sánchez-Moreiras and Manuel J. Reigosa
Plants 2022, 11(12), 1548; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11121548 - 10 Jun 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1481
Abstract
Tall wheatgrass (Thinopyrum ponticum (Podp.) Barkworth and D.R. Dewey) is an important, highly salt-tolerant C3 forage grass. The objective of this work was to learn about the ecophysiological responses of accessions from different environmental origins under drought and salinity conditions, to provide [...] Read more.
Tall wheatgrass (Thinopyrum ponticum (Podp.) Barkworth and D.R. Dewey) is an important, highly salt-tolerant C3 forage grass. The objective of this work was to learn about the ecophysiological responses of accessions from different environmental origins under drought and salinity conditions, to provide information for selecting superior germplasm under combined stress in tall wheatgrass. Four accessions (P3, P4, P5, P9) were irrigated using combinations of three salinity levels (0, 0.1, 0.3 M NaCl) and three drought levels (100%, 50%, 30% water capacity) over 90 days in a greenhouse. The control treatment showed the highest total biomass, but water-use efficiency (WUE), δ13C, proline, N concentration, leaf length, and tiller density were higher under moderate drought or/and salinity stress than under control conditions. In tall wheatgrass, K+ functions as an osmoregulator under drought, attenuated by salinity, and Na+ and Cl− function as osmoregulators under salinity and drought, while proline is an osmoprotector under both stresses. P3 and P9, from environments with mild/moderate stress, prioritized reproductive development, with high evapotranspiration and the lowest WUE and δ13C values. P4 and P5, from more stressful environments, prioritized vegetative development through tillering, showing the lowest evapotranspiration, the highest δ13C values, and different mechanisms for limiting transpiration. The δ13C value, leaf biomass, tiller density, and leaf length had high broad-sense heritability (H2), while the Na+/K+ ratio had medium H2. In conclusion, the combined use of the δ13C value, Na+/K+ ratio, and canopy structural variables can help identify accessions that are well-adapted to drought and salinity, also considering the desirable plant characteristics. Tall wheatgrass stress tolerance could be used to expand forage production under a changing climate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forage Plant Ecophysiology under Different Stress Conditions)
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