GROWTH AND NUTRITION OF TIMOTHY (PHLEUM PRATENSE)

Individual tillers of timothy ( Phleum pratense ) growing from seed in pots were labelled and their life history studied over a period of two years.
The leaf axil position of the first-produced tiller depended on its time of origin. A minimum of five leaves on the parent axis was necessary before its appearance, and no tiller emerged from the axil of any of the three terminal leaves of a shoot.
Ear-bearing capacity was high in early-formed tillers, but decreased progressively with later dates of origin despite favourable day length; all tillers arising after the end of July failed to produce inflorescences. A greater proportion of tillers on the main stem formed ears than secondary tillers of the same age. Time of ear emergence varied only within a few days for all tillers arising before the end of April. The number of leaves formed up to ear emergence varied linearly with date of origin and tiller position, the lowest recorded number being six.
Dry weight and length of inflorescence as well as seed yield per tiller varied linearly with the date of origin of tillers. Primary tillers generally had longer and heavier inflorescences and produced more seed per stem than secondary tillers of the same age.
Tillers arising at all times were found to have a limited span of life, not normally exceeding just over a year. The mean age of ear-bearing tillers varied linearly with their date of origin. Death-rates of all tillers generally increased with their age. Relative death-rates of fertile and vegetative tillers rose rapidly in the autumn but decreased during winter and early spring. Vegetative tillers which elongated in the year of formation survived for a shorter time than equivalent tillers in which stem elongation was delayed until the following year.
The perennial habit of grasses is discussed in relation to tiller survival. Successive new formation and death of tillers keep the plant in a condition of continuous dynamic change.