Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-995ml Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-29T04:41:32.744Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Germination biology of four climatically varied populations of the invasive species African lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 January 2021

Jason Roberts
Affiliation:
BSc (Honors) Graduate, Centre for Environmental Management, School of Health and Life Science, Federation University, Mount Helen, Victoria, Australia
Singarayer Florentine*
Affiliation:
Professor, Centre for Environmental Management, School of Health and Life Science, Federation University, Mount Helen, Victoria, Australia
Eddie van Etten
Affiliation:
Senior Researcher, Centre for Ecosystem Management, School of Science, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia
Christopher Turville
Affiliation:
Senior Researcher, School of Engineering, Information Technology and Physical Sciences, Federation University, Mount Helen, Victoria, Australia
*
Author for correspondence: Singarayer Florentine, Centre for Environmental Management, School of Health and Life Science, Federation University, Mount Helen, Victoria 3350, Australia. (Email: s.florentine@federation.edu.au)

Abstract

African lovegrass [Eragrostis curvula (Schrad.) Nees] is a highly invasive C4 perennial grass that threatens global biodiversity. Appropriate management of this species has been hampered by a lack of knowledge concerning its seed ecology, resulting in significant economic and environmental impacts within various environments. Consequently, this study explored the effects of a selection of environmental factors (photoperiod, alternating temperature, pH, and salinity) by analyzing several measures of germination on four geographically distinct populations of E. curvula to assist in its extirpation from infested sites. Seeds were collected in Australia from Maffra and Shepparton, VIC; Tenterfield, NSW; and Midvale, WA. Key results showed that seeds from Maffra (54% vs. 79%), Tenterfield (38% vs. 61%), and Shepparton (34% vs. 71%) had significantly reduced germination in complete darkness compared with an alternating 12-h light and 12-h dark photoperiod, whereas Midvale had consistent germination (91% vs. 99%). Temperatures between 17/7 C reduced germination for Maffra (42% vs. 73%), Tenterfield (34% vs. 55%), and Shepparton (33% vs. 59%) compared with the mean of all other temperature combinations, whereas Midvale had consistent germination. Furthermore, germination for all populations was consistent between pH 4 and 9. For salinity, germination was significantly reduced at ≥100 mM for Maffra (29% vs. 67%), ≥150 mM for Tenterfield (29% vs. 94%) and Shepparton (39.5% vs. 81.5%), and 250 mM for Midvale (39% vs. 82%) compared with the mean of all other concentrations. Although each trial was conducted independently, the data can be used to generate species-targeted management. Such strategies include maintaining high levels of quarantine and hygiene programs to avoid future spread; where practical, applying light-limiting strategies (mulching, tilling, or scraping) for the Maffra, Tenterfield, and Shepparton populations; and maintaining management efforts year-round, as the species can germinate under a wide range of conditions.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Weed Science Society of America

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

Associate Editor: Nathan S. Boyd, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center

References

Ahmed, S, Opeña, JL, Chauhan, BS (2015) Seed germination ecology of doveweed (Murdannia nudiflora) and its implication for management in dry-seeded rice. Weed Sci 63:491501 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Archibald, S, Bond, WJ, Stock, WD, Fairbanks, DHK (2005) Shaping the landscape: fire-grazer interactions in an African savanna. Ecol Appl 15:96109 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baskin, CC, Baskin, JM (2014) Seeds: Ecology, Biogeography and Evolution of Dormancy and Germination. San Diego: Elsevier Science. 1600 p Google Scholar
Batlla, D, Benech-Arnold, RL (2014) Weed seed germination and the light environment: implications for weed management. Weed Biol Manag 14:7787 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bittencourt, HVH, Bonome, LTS, Trezzi, MM, Vidal, RS, Lana, MA (2017) Seed germination ecology of Eragrostis plana, an invasive weed of South American pasture lands. S Afr J Bot 109:246252 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bliss, RD, Plattaloia, KA, Thomson, WW (1986) Osmotic sensitivity in relation to salt sensitivity in germinating barley seeds. Plant Cell Environ 9:721725 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Borger, C, Hashem, A, D’Antuono (2019) Summer weed species incidence in Western Australia varies between seasons. Weed Sci 67:589594 Google Scholar
Bureau of Meteorology (2020) Climate Data online. http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/data. Accessed: May 20, 2020Google Scholar
Burke, IC, Thomas, WE, Spears, JF, Wilcut, JW (2003) Influence of environmental factors on after-ripened crowfoot grass (Dactyloctenium aegyptium) seed germination. Weed Sci 51:342347 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campbell, MH, Kemp, HW, Murson, RD, Dellow, JJ, Ridings, H (1987) Use of herbicides for selective removal of Eragrostis curvula (Schrad.) Nees from a Pennisetum clandestinum pasture. Aust J Exp Agric 27:359365 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chachalis, D, Reddy, KN (2000) Factors affecting Campsis radicans seed germination and seedling emergence. Weed Sci 48:212216 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chauhan, BS (2013) Seed germination ecology of feather lovegrass [Eragrostis tenella (L.) Beauv. Ex Roemer & J.A. Schultes]. PLoS ONE 8:e79398 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chauhan, BS, Johnson, DE (2008) Germination ecology of goosegrass (Eleusine indica): an important grass weed of rainfed rice. Weed Sci 56: 699706 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chauhan, SC, Manalil, S, Florentine, S, Jha, P (2018) Germination ecology of Chloris truncate and its implications for weed management. PLoS ONE 13:e0199949 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cook, GD, Dias, L (2006) It was no accident: deliberate plant introductions by Australian government agencies during the 20th century. Aust J Bot 54:601625 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Caritat, P, Cooper, M, Wilford, J (2011) The pH of Australian soils: field results from a national survey. Soil Res 49:173182 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dehnavi, AR, Zahedi, M, Ludwiczak, A, Perez, SC, Piernik, A (2020) Effect of salinity on seed germination and seedling development of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) genotypes. Agron 10:859–874Google Scholar
Fenner, M, Thompson, K (2005) The Ecology of Seeds. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. 260 p CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ferrari, FN, Parera, CA (2015) Germination of six native perennial grasses that can be used as potential soil cover in drip-irrigated vineyards in semiarid environs of Argentina. J Arid Environ 113:15 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Firn, J (2009) African lovegrass in Australia: a valuable pasture species or embarrassing invader? Trop Grassl 43:8697 Google Scholar
Firn, J, Ladouceur, E, Dorrough, J (2018) Integrating local knowledge and research to refine the management of an invasive non-native grass in critically endangered grassy woodlands. J Appl Ecol 55:321330 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gamba, D, Muchhala, N (2020) Global patterns of population genetic differentiation in seed plants. Mol Ecol 29:34123428 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Geng, Y, Van Klinken, RD, Sosa, A, Li, B, Chen, J, Xu, CY (2016) The relative importance of genetic diversity and phenotypic plasticity in determining invasion success of a clonal weed in the USA and China. Front Plant Sci 7:213226 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gupta, B, Huang, B (2014) Mechanism of salinity tolerance in plants: physiological, biochemical and molecular characterization. Int J Genomics 39:118 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hereford, J (2009) A quantitative survey of local adaptation and fitness trade-offs. Am Nat 173:579–88CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Humpheries, T, Chauhan, BS, Florentine, SK (2018) Environmental factors effecting the germination and seedling emergence of two populations of an aggressive agricultural weed; Nassella trichotoma . PLoS ONE 13:e0199491 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Josse, EM, Halliday, KJ (2008) Skotomorphogenesis: the dark side of light signalling. Cell Press 18:11441146 Google ScholarPubMed
Kader, MA (2005) A comparison of seed germination calculation formulae and associated interpretation of resulting data. J Proc Roy Soc NSW 138:6675 Google Scholar
Kebreab, E, Murdoch, AJ (1999) A model of the effects of a wide range of constant and altering temperatures on seed germination of four Orobanche species. Ann Bot 84:549558 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lu, Z, Ma, K (2006) Spread of the exotic Crofton weed (Eupatorium adenophorum) across southwest China along roads and streams. Weed Sci 56:10681072 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Maathuis, FJM, Ahmad, I, Patishtan, J (2014) Regulation of Na+ fluxes in plants. Front Plant Sci 124:451467 Google Scholar
Milberg, P, Lamont, BB (1995) Fire enhances invasion of roadside vegetation in southwestern Australia. Biol Conserv 73:4549 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mobli, A, Mollaee, M, Manalil, S, Chauhan, BS (2020) Germination Ecology of Brachiaria euciformis in Australia and its implications for weed management. Agron J 10:111 Google Scholar
Papastylianou, P, Travlos, I, Roussis, I, Bilalis, D (2019) Sensitivity of seed germination to salt stress in Teff [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter]. Bull UASVM Horticulture 76:91–95Google Scholar
Rao, N, Dong, L, Li, J, Zhang, H (2008) Influence of environmental factors on seed germination and emergence of American sloughgrass (Beckmannia syzigachne). Weed Sci 55:529533 Google Scholar
Rengasamy, P (2006) World salinilization with emphasis on Australia. J Exp Bot 57:10171023 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Schwartz, LM, Gibson, DJ, Gage, KL, Matthews, JL, Jordan, DL, Owen, MDK, Shaw, DR, Weller, SC, Wilson, RG, Young, BG (2017) Seedbank and field emergence of weeds in glyphosate-resistant cropping systems in the United States. Weed Sci 63:425439 Google Scholar
Seglias, AE, Williams, E, Bilge, A, Kramer, AT (2018) Phylogeny and source climate impact seed dormancy and germination of restoration-relevant forb species. PLoS ONE 13:e0191931 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Thiam, M, Champion, A, Diouf, D, Ourye, M (2013) NaCl effects on in vitro germination and growth of some Senegalese cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp.) cultivars. Biotechnol J 2013:111 Google ScholarPubMed
Waes, JM, Debergh, PC (1986) Adaptation of the tetrazolium method for testing the seed viability, and scanning electron microscopy study of some western European orchids. Plant Physiol 66:435442 CrossRefGoogle Scholar