Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-xfwgj Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-24T16:42:12.880Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effect of tri-n-butyl phosphate on the drying rate and respiration rate of grass leaves measured in the laboratory

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

C. E. Harris  and
R. May-Brown
C. E. Harris
Affiliation:
Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berks, SL6 5LR
R. May-Brown
Affiliation:
Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berks, SL6 5LR
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

In laboratory tests tri-n-butyl phosphate applied by spraying as an emulsion at a rate equivalent to 0·25% of leaf fresh weight doubled the drying rate of individual S.24 perennial ryegrass leaves measured at 28 °C, relative humidity 22% and air speed 40 cm/sec. Increasing the rate of application produced no further increase in drying rate. In other experiments the same rate of application stopped respiration of leaves and no resumption of respiration was found in the subsequent 4 days. Comparisons of the dry-matter contents of leaves when removed from the plant and after being allowed to dry for 1 week at 27 °C and relative humidity 80%, indicated that inhibition of respiration resulted in large reductions in dry-matter losses. The potential value of a chemical spray which will both increase drying rate and reduce respiration as an aidto the field drying of grass crops is discussed. While it would be incautious to extrapolate from laboratory tests on single leaves to the field situation, evaluation under more practical conditions is clearly warranted.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 86 , Issue 3 , June 1976 , pp. 531 - 535
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1976

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Carter, W. R. B. (1960). A review of nutrient losses and efficiency of conserving herbage as silage, barndried hay and field-cured hay. Journal of the British Grassland Society, 15, 220–30.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Greenhill, W. L. (1959). Respiration drift of harvested pasture plants during drying. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 10, 495–501.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kennedy, W. K., Hesse, W. H. & Johnson, C. M. (1954). Effect of herbicides on the drying rate of hay crops. Agronomy Journal 46, 199–203.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kormos, J. & Chestnutt, D. M. B. (1968). Measurement of dry-matter losses in grass during the wilting period. (2) The effects of rain, mechanical treatment, maturity of grass and some other factors. Record of Agricultural Research 17, 59–65.Google Scholar
Leshem, Y., Thaine, R., Harris, C. E. & Canaway, R. J. (1972). Water loss from cut grass with special reference to hay making. Annals of Applied Biology 72, 89–104.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Philipsen, P. J. J. (1969). Methods of drying and changes in the crop especially after killing the standing crop by thermal treatment. Proceedings of the 3rd General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation, Braunschweig pp. 77–80.Google Scholar
Posktuta, G., Nelson, C. D. & Krotkov, G. (1967). Effects of metabolic inhibitors on the rates of CO2 evolution in light and darkness by detached spruce twigs, wheat and soybean leaves. Plant Physiology 42, 1187–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tullberg, J. N. & Angus, D. E. (1972). Increasing the drying rate of lucerne by the use of chemicals. The Journal of the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science 38, 214–5.Google Scholar
Turner, N. C. (1970). Speeding the drying of alfalfa hay with Fusicoccin. Agronomy Journal 62, 538–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Umbreit, W. W. (1959). Manometric Techniques. Minneapolis: Burgess Publications.Google Scholar
Wieneke, F. & Hartmann, D. (1971). Propionic acid for the chemical treatment of forage crops. Landtechnische Forschung 19, H.I. 23–5.Google Scholar