Survival and dormancy of purple nutsedge tubers has not been studied quantitatively. Yet this is fundamental to our understanding of the population dynamics of this highly noxious weed. Field studies were conducted to determine the effect of age on tuber survival and dormancy. A modified exponential decay function accurately described the age-dependent decline in tuber survival. This model is biologically meaningful, has good statistical properties, and can describe a wide range of responses. Tuber population half-life was 16 mo, and the predicted longevity (99% mortality) was 42 mo. Burial depth at 8 and 23 cm had no significant effect on survival or dormancy. Tuber dormancy increased with age. After 18 mo, the proportion of dormant tubers in the surviving population was two-and-one-half times higher than in the 3-mo-old population. We report for the first time that tubers were able to enter a state of secondary dormancy after sprouting. The finding that tubers persist after sprouting has important implications for population dynamics of this species. This is also the first report of tuber predation by the larvae of a billbug.
We constructed a mechanistic model of purple nutsedge tuber population dynamics to provide a theoretical framework for the integrated management of this weed. The model relies on a transition matrix with 10 age classes to simulate fluctuations in the tuber population. Parameters of the transition matrix are given by functions of density, age, and cumulated incident photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) underneath crop canopies. Sensitivity ratios based on a 10% reduction in parameter values indicated that the parameters of the birthrate function were most sensitive. Simulations showed that in the absence of weed control, cumulated incident PAR was by far the strongest determinant of population size; intraspecific interference was the strongest determinant of the rate of population increase. When weed control was introduced, the simulation suggested that 95% control would be required to eliminate this weed. The analysis of simulation results led to the formulation of five research hypotheses of practical relevance to the management of purple nutsedge. New insights gained by testing these hypotheses should lead to practical recommendations as well as a better understanding of the relationships between management practices and fluctuations in purple nutsedge populations.
The goals with this paper are to review the processes that regulate seed banks in agroecosystems, their horizontal and vertical distribution in the soil, as well as to present a simple methodology for the study of the seed banks size, regeneration potential and seed spreading. We focus mainly on internal and external factors regulating growth and exhaustion of seed banks, the impact of tillage on transitory and permanent banks and aspects related to germination and dormancy of seeds. In agroecosystems, the propagule banks constitute the primary resource ensuring the perpetuation of weeds; even if only a small portion remains, there will be weeds during the next growing season. A broad knowledge of these banks and their dynamics might prove useful for future rational schemes of weed management.
Artificial shading studies indicated that competition for photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) will limit tuber production in purple nutsedge. There were no data available to test whether there is a relationship between incident PAR underneath crop canopies and tuber production of this weed. In this study, the effect of crop competition on net reproductive rates of purple nutsedge tubers was measured under field conditions. Purple nutsedge plants were grown in association with bush beans, maize, maize and beans intercropped, sweet potato, pole beans, and bell pepper in a 2-yr field study in Costa Rica. Measurements were taken on the number of tubers produced during the growing season of each crop, and PAR transmittance was monitored weekly for the duration of the respective cropping cycles. Data on transmittance and incident solar radiation were used to calculate the daily average amount of PAR, available 15 cm above the soil surface. Regressions indicated that average incident PAR accounted for 95% of the variation in net reproductive rates. Average incident PAR also allowed a more precise competitive ranking of crops than either average or minimum transmittance. Bush beans had consistently the lowest average incident PAR values and therefore ranked as the most competitive crop in both years. Our data suggest that no net increase in tuber populations occurs if average incident PAR is below 2.7 MJ m−2d−1. Differences in the duration of the cropping cycle accounted only for a small proportion of the overall variation in net reproductive rates of purple nutsedge tubers. Information on the competitive ranking of different crops can be used to design crop rotations that could reduce reliance on herbicides on small farms in Costa Rica.
Weed diversity, structure, and distribution within and outside agricultural fields affect not only ecological processes but also weed management strategies. We studied how areas managed differently within and outside the field determine weed communities in a sugarcane cropping system in the dry tropics of Costa Rica. A total of 120 weed species were detected, which was similar to surveys conducted in subtropical and temperate conditions. Weed species richness was highest in undisturbed field borders and lowest in rows and furrows. The area where tractors turn within the field (turn area) had similar richness compared with the borders, despite being one of the most disturbed management areas studied. The most predominant weed species were divided between generalists and species that exhibited clear preferences for management area or soil texture. Soil texture was more important for determining weed community structure than management area when considering weed species affecting weed control decisions. The results indicated that disturbance in the management area and, especially, weed control practices are critical factors affecting weed diversity, but availability of resources for weed growth such as nutrients, soil moisture, and light can mitigate some of the limitations imposed by weed control on weed diversity, especially in the turn area. Differences in weed communities between management areas within fields indicated the existence of conditions that favor key weed species, and this information can be used to anticipate their population growth and help determine when and where more intensive control should be implemented. Nomenclature: sugarcane, Saccharum officinarum L.
A weed survey was conducted on irrigation canals and neighboring inundated rice fields, at Finca El Cerrito, Liberia, Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Sampling was performed on two growing seasons contrasting in weather conditions (rainy and dry) during 1992. Each surveying point was subdivided in five habitats (levee, internal slope, external slope, bottom of canal, and neighboring rice field). Plant species, percent cover and phenological stage were recorded at each habitat. In addition, for each species the next parameters were estimated: Frecuency-Cover Index (IFC), and Relative Participation Index (IPR). IPR at the family level was also calculated. 131 species during the dry season, and 144 species during the rainy season were recorded, showing that there is a significant plant diversity associated to these irrigation canals. The levee showed the greatest amount of plant species, while crop fields the least. Poaceae was the most important family, followed by Cyperaceae, based on IPR. Echinochloa colonum showed high IFC values and appeared in all habitats; this species together with others such as Oryza rufipogon, O. latifolia, Cyperus iria, and several broadleaf weeds are carefully controlled in rice fields, but reproduce heavily on irrigation canals, and shed their seeds in irrigation water, thus reinfesting commercial fields.
Four sugarcane fields with different soil textures (clay loam, sandy loam, clay and loam) were sampled. All fields showed R. cochinchinensis populations with at least 75-150 plants/m2. The number of plants of this weed in 0.25 m2 was determined separately in the microhabitats: rows and between rows. The depth at which each plant emerged was measured. Based on depth emergence, each plant was distributed in one of the next categories: 0, >0-2.5, >2.5-5.0, >5.0-10 and >10.0-15.0 cm. In addition, under greenhouse conditions, seeds were seeded in pots at the maximum depth of each category in order to evaluate the effect of soil depth. Finally, the effect of light and darkness on seed germination were evaluated in Petri dishes under laboratory conditions. In the field evaluations most of the plants emerged from >0-2.5 cm. The second most common category was >2.5-5.0 cm. It seems that those depths provide optimum conditions for germination. There were no differences regarding soil texture or microhabitats. In the greenhouse experiment, the largest germination was observed at 0 cm due to light exposure in this treatment. This was confirmed in the laboratory where light treatment showed also the largest germination. Control strategies that keep the seeds of this species above ground will reduce the number of new seeds in the seed bank and avoid optimum field conditions for its germination. If such strategies include efforts to reduce the seed production of those plants that are able to become established, it could be possible to significantly reduce the seed bank, therefore, it would be easier to control the population of this weed.
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