EFFECTS OF FOLIAGE TREATMENTS WITH GIBBERELLIN ON FORAGE YIELD OF ALFALFA, KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS AND WINTER WHEAT

Abstract

Foliage of alfalfa and of Kentucky Bluegrass grown indoors, and of Kharkov winter wheat planted in springtime in the field, was treated with gibberellin solution before and/or after harvesting the forage once or twice. Visible elongation of leaves and of stems of the grass and wheat, but not of alfalfa, was induced by the chemical treatments. Treatments with 200 p.p.m. gibberellin had no distinguishable effect on weight of alfalfa. Such treatment of Kentucky Bluegrass, before the first cutting, increased fresh and dry weight at the first cutting, did not affect yield at the second harvest, and slightly increased the final total fresh weight. Corresponding chemical treatment, followed by one cutting at the end of the test, increased the weight of the grass as compared to controls cut either once or twice. Treatment with 200 or 400 p.p.m. chemical after the first cutting also increased the yield of the grass. Gibberellin treatment (36 p.p.m.) of wheat foliage harvested once at the end of the experiment improved the yield as compared to controls.