Early growth and phyllochron of eight palm Species at six sites in a tropical environment
| MSI05P4165 | |
| Govinden, N. d'Espagnac, L. | |
| Early growth and phyllochron of eight palm Species at six sites in a tropical environment | |
| Lalouette, J. A., Bheenick, K. J. and Nundalallee, C. (eds), Proceedings, Seventh Meeting of Agricultural Scientists, 4-6 May 2005, Boname Hall, MSIRI, Mauritius. (Draft) | |
| book chapter | |
| 2005 | |
| p. 217-233 | |
| Réduit: Food and Agricultural Research Council | |
| In: Book of Abstracts. Seventh Meeting of Agricultural Scientists, 4-6 May 2005, Boname Hall, MSIRI, Réduit, Mauritius. p 38 (Proceedings available at http://www.gov.mu/portal/sites/ncb/moa/farc/amas2005/pdf/MAS20051stDraft.pdf) | |
| En | |
| En | |
| Field trials were planted at nine sites in Mauritius in 1999, 2000 and 2001 to evaluate the performance of eight species of palms for palm cabbage production. Growth was followed in six of these trials at regular intervals of twelve weeks. Non-destructive measurements were made on ten fully bordered plants per plot, in three replicates arranged in randomized complete blocks. The rates of development of the species in the nursery were quite different, being faster in the coconut (Cocos nucifera) and slower in the palmiste piquant (Acanthophoenix rubra). Although all the species established readily in the field and survived well under humid conditions, mortality under dry conditions was very variable, being highest in açai (Euterpe oleracea) and palmiste piquant and lowest in coconut. Plant height was measured from ground surface to the tip of the youngest fully expanded leaf. Increase in height followed a logistic pattern, typical of the growth of plants. Coconut was among the tallest species, at par at some sites with royal palm (Roystonea oleracea), pejibaye (Bactris gasipaes) and palmier de pâques (Veitchia montgomeryana). Palmiste piquant was the shortest species. Stem girth was measured at the base of the trunks. In all species the increase in girth was also described by logistic equations. Coconut had the largest girth at all times, and açai the smallest. The length and width of the leaflets of the species were different and, in most cases, increased in a logistic manner with age. At a given time, the different species had widely different numbers of green leaves. The coconut had more, and the royal palm fewer green leaves than the other species. In most species the number of green leaves increased with age and fluctuated in annual cycles. In all the species, cumulative total number of leaves produced since transplantation increased as a direct function of time. Thus, the rates of leaf production appeared to be constant. The reciprocal of this rate is known as the phyllochron. It varied quite significantly between sites and species. On average over all species, the palms produced a leaf every 48.5 days at Constance, at one extreme, compared to 64.5 days at Deep River, at the other. On average over sites, a leaf was produced in the pejibaye - the species with the smallest phyllochron - every 44.3 days, compared to every 76.7 days in the royal palm, the species with the largest phyllochron. However, when the actual number of leaves which emerged between sampling intervals was plotted against time, the rates of leaf emergence were observed not to be constant. They varied cyclical during the year. Fourier analysis of the data revealed large periodic fluctuations (semi-amplitudes) about the means amounting to 43 per cent on average. The highest rates of leaf emergence and, therefore, lowest phyllochrons were observed in the period from late summer to mid-winter, and the lowest rates, six months later. This suggests a temperature effect with a time lag. | |
| Palms Palmito Palm cabbage Stem girth Palm height Leaf number Leaf emergence rate | |
| Mauritius | |
| Palms | |
| 2005-05-03 | |
| En | |
| LIST | |
| FC |