Effects of High Temperatures on Emergence and Initial Growth of Range Plants

Sosebee, Ronald E.; Herbel, Carlton H.

Effects of High Temperatures on Emergence and Initial Growth of Range Plants

1969

Sosebee, Ronald E. | Herbel, Carlton H.

The daily soil temperatures used in this light chamber study were patterned after observations made under field conditions: 18 to 39C where the surface was sparsely shaded by brush, and 18 to 53C where the surface was left bare. The soil moisture was maintained at field capacity. Emergence of sacaton (Munro), vine mesquite (HBK.), bush muhly (Scribn.), and fourwing saltbush ((Pursh) Nutt.) was adversely affected by the high temperature regime. Survival of all 14 accessions except rhodesgrass (Kunth), ‘Vaughn’ sideoats grama ((Michx.) Torr.), and black grama ((Torr.) Torr.) was reduced by the high temperature regime.At the close of the 21-day trial most species had stopped growing or were growing very slowly under the high temperature regime. The shoot weights for the plants growing in the low temperature regime averaged nearly twice as much as those growing in the high temperature regime. There was no significant difference in root weight per seedling between temperature regimes. The root lengths of black grama, ‘Vaughn’ sideoats grama, tobosa ((Buckl.) Benth.), lehmann lovegrass (Nees), and alkali sacaton ((Torr.) Torr.) were not reduced significantly by the high temperature regime.The high temperatures were detrimental, in one way or another, to all species even when moisture was adequate but black grama and sideoats grama performed satisfactorily.

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