Appropriate nitrogen addition regulates reproductive strategies of Leymus chinensis

Nitrogen(N) addition can significantly improve the aboveground productivity of plants. The responses of reproductive strategies to N addition remain elusive for Leymus chinensis. Here, we examined the vegetative growth and clonal and sexual reproduction of a rhizome clonal grass, Leymus chinensis (Trin.) Tzvel, in response to N addition rates of 0, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 g N m(-2). N addition altered the reproductive strategy and allometric growth patterns of L. chinensis along the N addition gradient. N addition generally promoted higher investment in the biomass of vegetative and clonal organs, and a lower investment in sexual organs. N addition rates of 16 and 32 g N m(-2) were key thresholds; 16 g N m(-2) was the optimal rate for sexual reproduction and 32 g N m(-2) was optimal for vegetative growth and clonal re-production. At an addition rate of 16 g N m(-2), the sexual reproductive capacity of L. chinensis was highest. Resource allocation to sexual reproduction increased with N addition, but decreased at rates > 16 g N m(-2). The growth and clonal reproduction of L. chinensis decreased at N concentrations > 32 g N m(-2). Our findings highlight that the reproductive strategy of L. chinensis varies with N addition rate, and the growth, sexual reproduction, and clonal reproduction strategies of L. chinensis are plastic, which has important implications for production. (C) 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V.