S2614:
PTER 1
WTH AND DEVELOPMENT
ASTURE PLANTS
MRS. JAMIE PAU
DISTINCTIVE PHYSICAL
CHARACTERISTICS OF GRASS
VEGETATIVE GROWTH
Leaf and shoot growth
VEGETATIVE GROWTH
Leaf and shoot growth
VEGETATIVE GROWTH
Leaf and shoot growth
MERISTEMS
• Region of cells capable of division and growth in plants
• Classified by their location in the plant
• Apical meristems:
• Root and shoot tips
• Give rise to the primary plant body and are responsible for the
extension of the roots and shoots (i.e. helps to increase the length)
• Basal/intercalary meristems:
• Internodes, or stem regions between the places at which leaves attach,
and leaf bases
• Lateral meristems (in woody plants):
• Vascular and cork cambia
• secondary meristems because they are responsible for secondary
growth, or increase in stem girth and thickness
MERISTEMS
MERISTEMS
MERISTEMS
Source: [Link]
MERISTEMS
SECONDARY SHOOTS: BRANCHING
• Intravaginal branching, where the secondary shoot grows
upwards within the surrounding leaf sheath. Themeda
triandra shows intravaginal branching.
• Extravaginal branching, where the shoots grow horizontal
and then through the base of the leaf sheath. Grasses
showing extravaginal branching, usually form stolons which
are close to the soil surface and increase resistance against
defoliation.
SHOOTS: AGE
Three types of shoots can be differentiated on the basis of their
age, namely:
1. Shoots which flower and die down within the same year of
their existence
2. Shoots which flower in the same year of existence and die
down in the next
3. Shoots which flower in the same year of existence and die
down in the next
V E G E TAT I V E G R O W T H
• Leaf area / leaf size
• Leaf age
• Factors influencing shoot formation:
1. Genetic differences
2. Temperature
3. Light intensity
4. Water and mineral supply
V E G E TAT I V E TO R E P R O D U C T I V E
• Shoots originate as small growing points in axil of basal leaves
• At a specific stage the top meristem changes from the vegetative
to the reproductive phase
• Secondary shoot formation is inhibited as a result of hormonal
(auxins) action (apical dominance)
• Production of leaf primordia is ceased and flower primordia are
formed
• Growing point is lifted above the soil surface
• Removal of the growing point in the reproductive phase can
contribute to the lifting of apical dominance
REPRODUCTIVE GROWTH
REPRODUCTIVE GROWTH
• Flower formation
• Seed production
ROOTS
• Based on their root distribution, South African grasses can
be divided into three classes:
1. Superficial root system: especially annuals, and also
Eragrostis species, Cymbopogon plurinodis and
sometimes Themeda triandra
2. Deep root system: Digitaria tricholaenoides and
Elionurus muticus
3. Double root system - deep and shallow: Cynodon
dactylon, Themeda triandra, Tetrachne dregei and
Brachiaria serrata
ROOTS
ROOTS: SEASONAL GROWTH
• Root growth only takes place under conditions of excessive
carbohydrate production
• There is a negative ratio between root growth and
aboveground growth
• Root growth can be expected before the vegetative growth
phase (early spring) and after seed ripening (autumn and
early winter)
• Severe grazing during autumn is very detrimental to
grasses
I N F LU E N C E O F W AT E R S H O R TAG E S O N
G R O W T H A N D D E V E L O P M E N T O F PA S T U R E
PLANTS
• Aboveground development
• Underground development