Leaf growth and senescence rates in brown-back wallaby grass

Knowledge of leaf turnover in grasses is necessary to model curing (the accumulation of dead material in the sward) which is not well represented in current pasture growth models, nor for many Australian native species. Leaf turnover begins with the appearance of successive leaves, which elongate until typically, a leaf ligule develops to indicate a mature fully expanded length. Green leaf life span extends from appearance to the beginning of senescence, which ultimately leads to death (Figure 1). Here, the individual rates of leaf growth and senescence for the Australian native brown-back wallaby grass, Rytidosperma duttonianum (Cashmore) Connor & Edgar, over the whole life cycle, are reported.