[Module growth and biomass allocation of Chloris virgate clone at different growth stages in Songnen Plain, China]

The growth characteristic and strategies of Chloris virgate at different growth stages were examined in Songnen Plain by analyzing the quantitative characters and biomass allocation of aboveground and belowground parts at shooting and ripening stages in C. virgate population, with a large amount of sampling. The results showed that height, total root length, total root surface area, root volume, aboveground biomass, belowground biomass, and total biomass were significantly different between the two growth stages. There was power allometric relationship between total biomass and biomass allocation of aboveground and belowground, respectively. At shooting stage, there was a significant linear isometric growth between the total biomass and the number of ramets, total root length, total root surface area and root volume, but there was a power allometric growth at ripening stage. C. virgate clone showed different growth strategies under different growth stages, with a priority expansion strategy of clonal outer space at shooting stage and a complementary and expansive strategy in the inner and outer space of the clones at ripening stage.