Influence of temperature and cheatgrass competition on seedling development of two bunchgrasses

Rapid seedling growth and ability to compete against cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum L.) are 2 characteristics that perennial grasses must have for successful establishment on semiarid western rangelands. This study was conducted to determine the effects of temperature and competition from cheatgrass on seedling root and shoot growth of 'Hycrest' crested wheatgrass [Agropyron desertorum (Fisch. ex Link) Schult. X A. cristatum (L.) Gaert.] and 'Whitmar' bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata (Pursh) Loeve). For the temperature study, seedlings were grown in growth chambers with alternate 12-h day/night temperatures of 10/5, 15/5, and 20/5 degrees C. Seedlings were destructively harvested on 6 dates and evaluated for 14 root and shoot characteristics. Leaf development, leaf area, total root length, and number and length of the second group of seminal roots were greater (P < 0.05) for cheatgrass than Hycrest and Whitmar at all dates and temperatures. Cheatgrass elongated adventitious roots earlier and at colder temperatures (10/5 degrees C) than Hycrest, and Whitmar did not produce adventitious roots at low temperatures. This would favor the establishment of cheatgrass at low temperatures. For the competition study, seedlings were established in pots in a greenhouse with planting ratios of Hycrest to cheatgrass and Whitmar to cheatgrass of 1:0, 2:0, and 5:0 (32, 64, and 159 plants m(-2) respectively) and compared with planting ratios of 1:1 and 1:4. Fourteen shoot and root characteristics were evaluated 15, 30, and 50 days after seedling emergence. Hycrest had greater shoot and root development than Whitmar for all seedling characteristics. Competition from cheatgrass reduced growth of Hycrest and Whitmar seedlings. At a planting ratio of 1:4, Hycrest-cheatgrass mixtures depleted soil moisture to lower soil water potentials than Whitmar-cheatgrass mixtures. These results indicate that Hycrest seedlings are more effective competitors with cheatgrass than Whitmar seedlings.