The objective ofthis experiment was to evaluate the structural characteristics of young, matureand old tillers on continuously stocked marandu palisade grass maintained at30 cm and fertilized with nitrogen. Treatments corresponded to three nitrogenapplication rates (150, 300 and 450 kg/ha of N) plus control (no fertilization)and were assigned to experimental units (1,200-m2 paddocks) accordingto a completely randomized block design, with four replications. Measurementswere performed during fall/winter 2007 and summer 2008. During summer, youngtillers showed longer leaves and shorter stems relative to old tillers. Duringfall/winter, young and old tillers showed shorter leaves, while mature and oldtillers showed longer stems. Tiller age interfered with the number of leavesper tiller mainly through variations in the number of expanding and senescingleaves during both fall/winter and summer. The structural characteristics ofindividual tillers are affected by plant age, with nitrogen favouring the productionof leaf tissue in young tillers during summer.
