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Net assimilation rate and relative nitrogen assimilation rate in relation to the dry matter production of alfalfa cultivars

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Summary

Twelve alfalfa cultivars inoculated with an indigenous strain (RM9) ofRhizobium meliloti, were compared for their seedling morphological characters, and growth characters, including net assimilation rate (NAR), relative growth rate (RGR), leaf area ratio (LAR) and relative nitrogen assimilation rate (RN). Highly significant differences were obtained between cultivars for most characters.

Simple correlation showed that NAR influenced RGR (r=0.91) more than leaf area ratio (LAR) (r=−0.44), and that most characters measured were highly correlated with seedling dry weight. Factor analysis showed that NAR, RGR and RN contributed 25% of the total variation in the dependence structure. The grouping indicated that the higher the NAR and RN the greater was the RGR. Path-coefficient analysis showed that NAR had more important direct and indirect effects than RN in dry matter accumulation. The relationship implied that selection for plants with high NAR, or high efficiency in converting light energy to dry matter production could contribute greater N2 fixation in alfalfa.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lowlands Agricultural Experimental Station, Keravat, New Britain, Papua New Guinea

    Geok-Yong Tan & Wai-Koon Tan

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  1. Geok-Yong Tan
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  2. Wai-Koon Tan
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Tan, GY., Tan, WK. Net assimilation rate and relative nitrogen assimilation rate in relation to the dry matter production of alfalfa cultivars. Plant Soil 59, 185–192 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02184191

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02184191

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