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Seed persistence of the invasive aquatic plant, Gymnocoronis spilanthoides (Asteraceae)

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Panetta, F.D. (2009) Seed persistence of the invasive aquatic plant, Gymnocoronis spilanthoides (Asteraceae). Australian Journal of Botany, 57 (8). pp. 670-674.

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Article Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/BT09187

Publisher URL: http://www.publish.csiro.au/

Abstract

Seed persistence of Gymnocoronis spilanthoides (D.Don) DC.; Asteraceae (Senegal tea), a serious weed of freshwater habitats, was examined in relation to burial status and different soil moisture regimes over a 3-year period. Seeds were found to be highly persistent, especially when buried. At the end of the experiment, 42.0%, 27.3% and 61.4% of buried seeds were viable following maintenance at field capacity, water logged and fluctuating (cycles of 1 week at field capacity followed by 3 weeks’ drying down) soil moisture conditions, respectively. Comparable viability values for surface-situated seeds were ~3% over all soil moisture regimes. Predicted times to1% viability are 16.2 years for buried seed and 3.8 years for surface-situated seed. Persistence was attributed primarily to the absence of light, a near-obligate requirement for germination in this species, although secondary dormancy was induced in some seeds. Previous work has demonstrated low fecundity in field populations of G. spilanthoides, which suggests that soil seed banks may not be particularly large. However, high levels of seed persistence, combined with ostensibly effective dispersal mechanisms, indicate that this weed may prove a difficult target for regional or state-wide eradication.

Item Type:Article
Business groups:Biosecurity Queensland
Keywords:Weed ecology; aquatic weed; seed persistence; Senegal tea.
Subjects:Science > Invasive Species > Plants > Weed ecology
Science > Botany > Plant ecology
Live Archive:25 Aug 2010 05:20
Last Modified:16 Oct 2024 05:29

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