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Pakistan Journal of Biological Sciences

Year: 2001 | Volume: 4 | Issue: 11 | Page No.: 1331-1335
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Research Article

The Effect of Local and Widespread Nutrient Supply on Growth and Development of Potentilla reptans L.

S. K. Agha and C. Marshall

ABSTRACT

The functional organization of the clonal plant of Potentilla reptans L. in terms of the distribution of localized and widespread nutrient supplied to non-supplied rooted ramets and unrooted ramets of the clone was investigated. Observations were made on leaf and branch production of rooted ramets and unrooted main stolon of the clone. The dry weight of the component of clone was also recorded. There was a very localized response to nutrient supply with the growth response largely restricted to nutrient supplied ramet and to the unrooted main stolon where the nutrient supplied ramet was in adjacent position. However, it was noted that very severe symptoms of nutrient deficiency gradually appeared in ramets deprived of nutrients and presumably would eventually die with time. Ramets supplied with nutrients showed a significantly greater production of leaves and branch ramet and dry weight. Nutrient movement with the stolon axis is therefore distinctly acropetal to the exploratory growth of the stolon and is maintained of the older ramets which with time must senesce and die.
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