Pattern of Autumn tillering in a Grasslands 4708 tetraploid hybrid ryegrass sward following two heights of mowing.

Herbage mass, light interception,and ryegrass tiller dynamics were measured in a tetraploid hybrid ryegrass sward for 8 weeks after cutting to 1–2 cm and 5–6 cm during the late autumn. In both treatments the density of ryegrass tillers increased in the first 2 weeks after cutting and then subsequently declined after the canopy reached full light interception. Tiller density was greater with 1–2 cm cutting as a result of a higher tiller appearance rate in the first 2 weeks after cutting.Tiller death was not significantly affected by cutting height. Ryegrass regrowth mass came mainly from the recovery of tillers present at the time of defoliation, because newly emerged tillers were considerably smaller than the older tillers.