This study has shown that cutting at any of the
times tested (August–October) significantly
reduced the yield of pure germinating seed. This
was despite the fact that lodging greatly affected
the control treatment. Tiller density in the undefoliated control tended to be lower than that in
August closing cut treatments, and was signifi-
cantly lower than in the September and October
treatment plots. This was possibly due to tissue
death as a result of high moisture levels under the
canopy (leading also to secondary disease infection) and stem breakage