Offspring generation
The number of nodes on the main stolon, number of branches and growth
rate of the main stolon and branches significantly differed among the
genotypes (Table 1). Number of nodes on the main stolon, number of
branches and growth rate of the main stolon and branches were also
significantly affected by
the
time period since the last drought (Time since the last drought, Table
1). Biomass of offspring ramets produced by parental ramets that
experienced last drought event 2, 4 and 6 weeks before transplantation
was higher compared to offspring biomass of parental ramets from control
conditions (Fig. 3, Table 2). Number of nodes of the main stolon was
higher for offspring of parents that experienced last drought event 4
and 6 weeks before transplantation compared to offspring of other
drought treatments (Table 2). Plants of parental ramets that experienced
last drought event 4 weeks before transplantation produced more branches
than plants of other parental drought groups (Table 1, Fig. 2).
The
growth rate of node number of the main stolon and number of branches was
lower in plants created by parental ramets that experienced last drought
event 2 and 8 weeks before transplantation in comparison to other
treatments
(Table
2).