Establishment of Ammophila arenaria (Marram Grass) from Culms, Seeds and Rhizomes

Abstract

(1) A study was made of three different methods of establishing Ammophila arenaria: planting bundles of culms (the traditional method), sowing seeds, and disc-harrowing rhizomes. The effects of applying slow-release fertilizer were also examined. (2) A preliminary experiment examined the relative effects of straw, carboxy methyl cellulose, compost, reed, and a mixture of crop species in stabilising the sand. Only straw was effective. (3) Sowing seeds at 200, 400, and 600 m-2 and rhizomes (fragments 15 cm long, each with at least two buds) at 20, 40, and 60 pieces m-2, showed that higher rates resulted in higher numbers of seedlings and primary shoots. However, after one growing season, production of biomass and tillers was only increased by fertilization. (4) Although the recovery in above-ground plant parts of N and P was fairly low, slowrelease NPK fertilizer (80-20-20 kg ha-1) increased biomass significantly. Fertilizing rhizomes with 160-40-40 kg NPK haproduced significantly more dry matter than with 80-20-20 kg NPK ha1, but this had no effect on sown or planted A. arenaria. (5) Rhizomes produced more tillers and biomass than bundles of culms and seedlings when fertilizer was applied. Without fertilizer, culms gave most biomass production, but seedling growth was very poor. (6) A germination experiment in the laboratory showed that a high rate and percentage of germination was obtained at fluctuating temperatures and by supplying light. At fluctuating low temperatures, stratification increased germination of seeds. At fluctuating high temperatures, seeds germinated well and stratification gave no improvement.