Effects of Eucalyptus grandis leaf litter at its early stage of decomposition on the growth and photosynthetic characteristics of Cichorium intybus

• Published in: Ying yong sheng tai xue bao Vol. 24; no. 7; p. 1817
• Main Authors: Wu, Xiu-Hua, Li, Yi-Qiao, Hu, Ting-Xing, Chen, Bao-Jun, Yang, Yong-Gui, Chen, Hong, Hu, Hong-Ling
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Chinese
• Published: China 01.07.2013
• Subjects: Cichorium intybus - growth & development; Cichorium intybus - physiology; Eucalyptus - chemistry; Pheromones - metabolism; Pheromones - pharmacology; Photosynthesis - drug effects; Plant Leaves - chemistry; Refuse Disposal - methods; Seedlings - growth & development; Seedlings - physiology
• ISSN: 1001-9332

From March to May, 2010, a pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of Eucalyptus grandis leaf litter at its early stage of decomposition on the growth and photosynthetic characteristics of Cichorium intybus. Four treatments with different application rate of the leaf litter, i.e., 0 g x pot(-1) (CK), 30 g x pot(-1) (A1), 60 g x pot(-1) (A2), and 90 g x pot(-1) (A3), were installed. Each pot contained 12 kg soil mixed with the leaf litter, and then, C. intybus was sown. The growth indicators of the C. intybus were measured at the 30, 45, 60, and 75 d after sowing, and the photosynthetic characteristics of the C. intybus in treatment A3 were studied after the seedlings third leaf fully expanded. At each measured time, the biomass accumulation and leaf area growth of C. intybus in treatments A1, A2, and A3 were inhibited significantly. At the early stage of the leaf litter decomposition, the synthesis of photosynthetic pigments of the C. intybus seedlings was inhibited significantly, and the inhi