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Abstracts
Proceedings
EFFECTS OF A SPRING FORAGE CUT ON THE REPRODUCTIVE
DEVELOPMENT AND SEED PRODUCTION OF SULLA
(HEDYSARUM CORONARIUM L.)
P. P. Roggero and P. Sargenti
Dipartimento di Biotecnologie agrarie ed ambientali, Università degli Studi, via Brecce Bianche, 60131 Ancona. e-mail: roggero@popcsi.unian.it
The seed production of sulla is often combined with forage production to attenuate the negative effects of fluctuating prices and alternating yields. The objective of this study was to test the effects of one early (at blooming) or late (at beginning of anthesis) forage cutting on the sulla seed yield and reproductive development. The forage cut in spring halved the number of racemes per stem on the regrowth. The late cut (at beginning of flowering) shifted anthesis towards a period of adverse weather, with negative effects on seed set. The number of flowers per inflorescence sharply decreased after the summer solstice independently of cutting date. The number of legumes per raceme and the seed weight were not affected by the cutting treatments.
Keywords: Hedysarum coronarium L.; seed yield components; cutting date; anthesis; ovules per flower; flowers per raceme; ovule site utilisation.