Evaluating the use of plant hormones and biostimulators in forage pastures to enhance shoot dry biomass production by perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.).
Fertilisation of established perennial ryegrass forage pastures with nitrogen (N)-based fertilisers is currently the most common practice used on farms to increase pasture forage biomass yield. However, over-fertilisation can lead to undesired environmental impacts, including nitrate leaching into waterways and increased gaseous emissions of ammonia and nitrous oxide to the atmosphere. Additionally, there is growing interest from pastoral farmers to adopt methods for increasing pasture dry matter yield which use 'natural', environmentally safe plant growth stimulators, together with N-based fertilisers. Such plant growth stimulators include plant hormones and plant growth promotive microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi ('biostimulators', which may produce plant growth-inducing hormones), as well as extracts of seaweed (marine algae). This review presents examples and discusses current uses of plant hormones and biostimulators, applied alone or together with N-based fertilisers, to enhance shoot dry matter yield of forage pasture species, with an emphasis on perennial ryegrass.
Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition Section, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Department of Nuclear Sciences and Applications, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna International Centre, P.O. Box 100, 1400, Vienna, Austria.
Mohammad
M
Zaman
Department of Biology, Western University, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5B7.
Leonid V
LV
Kurepin
Ballance Agri-Nutrients Limited New Zealand, Private Bag 12503, Tauranga Mail Centre, Tauranga, 3143 New Zealand.
Warwick
W
Catto
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1 N4.
Richard P
RP
Pharis
D001419:Bacteria; D003583:Cytokinins; D005308:Fertilizers / Q000009:adverse effects; D005658:Fungi / Q000502:physiology; D005875:Gibberellins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids; D008129:Lolium / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000382:microbiology; D009566:Nitrates / Q000032:analysis; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012624:Seaweed; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis
D003583:Cytokinins; D005308:Fertilizers; D005875:Gibberellins; D007210:Indoleacetic Acids; D009566:Nitrates; D010937:Plant Growth Regulators; D014873:Water Pollutants; D009584:Nitrogen
biostimulators; perennial ryegrass; plant hormones; shoot dry biomass growth