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Duration of the growing season
Knowledge of the onset and duration of growing seasons can help farmers to plan the harvest and sowing of their crops accordingly. This information can also help reduce the risk of sowing or planting too early or too late. The onset date and timing of the rainy season are key factors for the success of growing seasons.
Shorter growing season
In some regions of the world, a shorter growing season can be an advantage. For example, the growing season in Potash was shorter than in Adana. In Moscow, the growing season began after the first frost of the year. In contrast, the growing season at Adana was shorter than at Potash, due to early emergence and early end of growth. In addition, some varieties had an early flowering season, which would shorten the growing season.
The growing season in the Moscow site was short but still maintained growth to 50% senescence. In addition, the biomass was still increasing at the final serial cut. This suggests that the hard frost on day 291 would have killed the plants above ground and ended active senescence. Thus, the growing season length was about 163-166 days, which is similar to other locations.
In the earlier decades, the minimum growing season and frost-free season occurred frequently. During 1951-1970, maximum values were recorded at four sites. In the following decades, the number of stations increased. In the present decade, there are eight locations with maximum and minimum values. However, minimum values were not observed at the stations during the years 1991-2010.
Impacts of the growing season
The duration of the growing season affects the yield, quality, and productivity of crops. In a warm climate, prolonged growing seasons are not required for high yields. However, they can improve harvest quality. This is important in reducing the risk of disease. Therefore, prolonged growing seasons may be beneficial for agricultural production. When a warmer climate is in place, the first frost can occur much earlier than expected. This can help farmers in maximizing yields and minimise costs.
Average growth rate
The growth rate of a plant is fluid and varies a lot from day to day. This variable makes it difficult to predict with precision, even with sophisticated laboratory equipment. Hence, it is important to chart the growth rate of your plant to keep track of its progress. Create a graph with columns for each day of the growing season, with rows for plant length and width. Make sure to update it every two to three days to keep a record of the plant’s growth rate. Also, include new leaf tips and sprouts when determining the growth rate.
Frequent measurements
When you have several plants in the garden or greenhouse, you can use a plant growth measurement tool to keep track of them. You can take measurements of their weight and length every few days to track their growth rate. This will help you figure out which plant needs extra nutrients. After measuring these two things, you can use a growth rate formula to determine the average change in weight over time.
Diversity
In Niklas and Enquist’s 1994 book, they compared the growth rates of animal species and plants. Although they only studied a few species, they represent enough diversity in the size range to allow for comparisons between plants and animals. Moreover, their analyses show that the growth rates of trees and plants are very similar.
Relative growth rate method
Another useful method for calculating the growth rate of plants is to use the relative growth rate (RGR) method. RRs are correlated with current stem diameter and top height. The RGR ratio is equal to the ratio of these two variables. For instance, RGR can predict the growth rate of a tree in a given year based on its size and proportion of growth in the given population.
The average growth rate of a plant is an important consideration for planning landscapes. While most plants are slow growers, some grow at a much faster rate. The average growth rate of a plant depends on several factors, including climate, growing conditions, and care.
Variation in growth rate depending on species
Variation in growth rate is common among species that grow in unproductive habitats. However, it is not always understood whether these variations are caused by selection. Few studies have examined whether specific growth parameters confer a selective advantage. In this study, the effects of inherent differences in growth parameters were assessed among eight genotypes and phenotypes of Lychnis flos-cuniculi.
Compared to other species, forbs and C3 and C4 grasses had the highest RGR. In contrast, legumes and oaks had the lowest RGR. All functional groups differed considerably in RGR, except C3 and C4 grasses, which exhibited a higher rate of photosynthetic and respiration growth under higher N supplies.
Monte Carlo simulation model
Growth rate variations were examined in an individual-based Monte Carlo simulation model. The results revealed that a small change in the mean growth rate of an initial cohort can influence survival rates for the first 60 days. The results also show that the higher the variance in growth rates among individuals, the stronger the selection for faster-growing individuals.
The RGR of different species was inversely related to seed mass. In addition, species exhibited a wide range of differences. The lowest RGR was recorded in two oaks, while the highest RGR was observed in forbs. Both species displayed significant differences in the RGR in both fertilized and unfertilized conditions.
The phenotype of slow-growing and fast-growing B. Erectus exhibited similar values for RGR at the lowest temperature (20 degC), whereas the fast-growing B. hordeaceus had a maximum FA value of 70 per cent at 20 degC. However, both species showed problems with higher temperatures. The combination of temperature and nutrient availability caused the greatest stress in both species.
Read also: How Long Does It Take to Grow a Tree?
Timing of growth
Plants have an internal clock called the circadian clock, which regulates biological processes throughout the day and limits growth at night. It has recently been discovered that plants have a particular set of transcription factors that control their growth cycle. Those transcription factors are called PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTORS, or PIFs, which accumulate at night and promote growth only before dawn. By understanding how these factors work, we may be able to better understand how to control plant growth.
Auxanometer
To measure this change, we can use a tool called an auxanometer, which records leaves and shoots elongation automatically. The instrument also tracks growth-induced displacements. In early versions, auxanometers registered plant elongation by mechanically registering plant length onto a rotating cylinder, or by recording the output voltage of a linear variable differential transformer.
Influence of climate change
The results of these experiments suggest that mismatched phenological events can be influenced by climate change. Moreover, the timing of these events can vary widely between years. Studies have been conducted in this regard by Fisher et al. and Leffler. The findings indicate that a mismatch in the timing of phenological events may have a large impact on the ecosystem.
Carbon dioxide
The timing of plant growth is a complex process. Researchers have studied various species and their responses to elevated CO2 levels. They found that some species responded to elevated CO2 and increased nitrogen deposition more quickly than others. Interestingly, grasses responded to the elevated CO2 levels later than the wildflowers. This may be related to the difference in the timing of flowering.
Scientists
Plant growth has long fascinated scientists. The English scientist Stephen Hales, for instance, wrote Vegetable Sticks, which described the growth of tissue by painting dots in ink on it. Later, Paul von Liebig and Sprengel discovered that growth depends on moisture levels in soil and the fixation of carbon from the air. Weber also identified that the nutrient uptake of soil contributes to plant growth.
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