Influence of Initial Plant Size and Temperature on Competitive Interactions in Pasture Grasses

Research has suggested that larger initial seedling size conferred a distinct advantage on the more competitive species. Therefore, competitive relationships between ryegrass, prairie grass and cocksfoot were evaluated using seedlings at the same growth stage, in order to minimise the advantages of seedling size differences between species. This study demonstrated that the performance of species in mixtures and their competitive abilities were related to their ability to accumulate dry matter. Simulated spring and autumn temperatures showed that temperature had no significant effect on the competitive relationships between these species.