Determining the growth responses of Phyla canescens to shoot and root damage as a platform to better-informed weed-management decisions

M H Julien; Cheng Yuan Xu; A Bourne; M Gellender; R De Clerck-Floate

doi:10.1071/BT11205

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Determining the growth responses of Phyla canescens to shoot and root damage as a platform to better-informed weed-management decisions

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Determining the growth responses of Phyla canescens to shoot and root damage as a platform to better-informed weed-management decisions

M H Julien, Cheng Yuan Xu, A Bourne, M Gellender and R De Clerck-Floate

Australian Journal of Botany, Vol.60(4), pp.310-318

2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/BT11205

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Abstract

Microbiology

Plant Biology

Ecology

Understanding the responses of invasive plants to control methods is important in developing effective management strategies. Lippia (Phyla canescens (Kunth) Greene : Verbenaceae) is an invasive, perennial, clonal forb for which few control options exist for use in the Australian natural and agro-ecosystems it threatens. To help inform management decisions, lippia's growth responses to damage it may experience during proposed control measures, i.e. cutting, crushing, twisting, were assessed in three glasshouse experiments using either whole plants or plant pieces. Plants quickly recovered from severe damage through growth from shoot and root buds at stem nodes. After shoot and root removal, the relative growth rate of the remaining plant was twice that of controls, suggesting tolerance to damage. Lacking buds, root pieces and isolated stem internodes were incapable of responding. Crushing and cutting individual ramets and plant pieces induced the largest responses, including release of axillary buds on damage or removal of apical buds, but full recovery was not achieved. Lippia will be difficult to control because of its ability to rapidly propagate from stem fragments possessing undamaged or damaged nodes; thus, the full impact of control methods that increase fragmentation (e.g. grazing) should be assessed before implementation. Our results also suggest that the most effective biological agents will be those that limit lippia's vegetative growth and spread, such as shoot- or crown-feeding insects.

Details

Title: Determining the growth responses of Phyla canescens to shoot and root damage as a platform to better-informed weed-management decisions
Authors: M H Julien (Author) - CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences
Cheng Yuan Xu (Author) - University of Southern Queensland
A Bourne (Author) - CSIRO Ecosystem Sciences
M Gellender (Author) - Beetle Creative, Tasmania
R De Clerck-Floate (Author) - Lethbridge Research Centre, Canada
Publication details: Australian Journal of Botany, Vol.60(4), pp.310-318
Publisher: C S I R O Publishing
Date published: 2012
DOI: 10.1071/BT11205
ISSN: 0067-1924
Organisation Unit: University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99450134802621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration; International collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Plant Sciences

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