Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-4rdpn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T05:38:22.875Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Broom snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae) dispersal, viability, and germination

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2017

Ballard L. Wood ,
Kirk C. McDaniel  and
Dennis Clason
Ballard L. Wood
Affiliation:
Department of Animal and Range Science, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003
Dennis Clason
Affiliation:
Experimental Statistics Department, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Broom snakeweed achene dispersal was monitored by placing surface-level traps outwards in the cardinal directions from 12 plants and collecting the achenes weekly or biweekly from September 1993 until seeds were no longer retained by the plants after 42 wk. About 50% of the achenes dispersed between October and December. Especially high numbers of achenes were dislodged during periods of intense winter winds and rains, with 78% of the seed placed into the east tray and 86% falling within 50 cm of the parent plant. Achene production averaged 3,928 (± 1,146) per plant in 1993 and 2,036 (± 987) per plant in 1994. Achenes collected over time directly from the inflorescence and achenes stored in nylon packets on the soil surface averaged 82% viability during fall and winter. Achene viability declined rapidly in late spring, and few remained viable before the next seed crop. Greenhouse experiments compared the influence of water application interval and water amount on broom snakeweed germination and seedling survival. Treatments consisted of 4 water intervals: daily, 5-d, 10-d, and 15-d intervals; and 4 water amounts: field capacity (1/1 fc), 3/4 fc, 1/2 fc, and 1/4 fc. Germination was 52% at daily 1/1 fc, and no seed germinated at daily 1/4 fc. Data suggest that optimum germination occurs when soils are maintained at a minimum soil matric potential (Ψm) > −180 kPa for at least 4 d. Optimum Ψm for seedling survival appears to range between −300 and −900 kPa, while seedling mortality would generally be expected with a Ψm of > −1800 kPa.

Keywords

Seed longevityseed ecologyseed retentionseedling survivalsoil seed reservesoil matric potentialGUESABroom snakeweed, Gutierrezia sarothrae (Pursh) Britt. & Rusby GUESABlue grama, Bouteloua gracilis (H.B.K.) Lag. ex Griffiths
Type
Weed Biology and Ecology
Information
Weed Science , Volume 45 , Issue 1 , February 1997 , pp. 77 - 84
Copyright
Copyright © 1997 by 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.)

References

Literature Cited

Carpenter, B. D., Ethridge, D. E. and Sosebee, R. E. 1990. Economic losses from broom snakeweed poisoning in cattle. Rangelands 12: 206–208.Google Scholar
Carroll, D. B. 1994. Broom snakeweed [Gutierrezia sarothrae (Pursh) Britt. & Rusby] seedling response to spring and summer burning in central New Mexico. M.S. thesis. New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM. 99 p.Google Scholar
Dittberner, P. L. 1971. A demographic study of some semidesert grassland plants. M.S. thesis. New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM. 67 p.Google Scholar
Ellner, S. and Shmida, A. 1981. Why are adaptations for long-range seed dispersal rare in desert plants? Oceologia 51: 133–144.Google Scholar
Foster, D. E., Ueckert, D. N., and DeLoach, C. J. 1981. Insects associated with broom snakeweed (Xanthocephalum sarothrae) and threadleaf snakeweed (Xanthocephalum microcephala) in west Texas and eastern New Mexico. J. Range Manage. 34: 446–454.Google Scholar
Jameson, A. D. 1970. Value of broom snakeweed as a range condition indicator. J. Range Manage. 23: 302–304.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Klute, A. 1986. Water retention: laboratory methods. in Klute, A., ed. Methods of Soil Analysis. Part 1, 2nd ed., Volume 9. Madison, WI: Soil Science Society of America, pp. 635–660.Google Scholar
Kruse, W. H. 1970. Temperature and moisture stress affect germination of Gutierrezia sarothrae . J. Range Manage. 23: 143–144.Google Scholar
Lane, M. A. 1985. Taxonomy of Gutierrezia (Compositae: Astereae) in North America. Syst. Bot. 10: 7–28.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mayeux, H. S. 1983. Effects of soil texture and seed placement on emergence of four subshrubs. Weed Sci. 31: 380–384.Google Scholar
Mayeux, H. S. 1989. Snakeweed seed characteristics and germination requirements. in Huddleston, E. W. and Pieper, R. D. eds. Snakeweed: Problems and Perspectives. N. M. State Univ. Agric. Exp. Stn. Bull. 751: 39–49.Google Scholar
Mayeux, H. S. and Leotta, L. 1981. Germination of broom snakeweed and threadleaf snakeweed seed. Weed Sci. 31: 380–384.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McDaniel, K. C. 1989. Snakeweed populations in New Mexico, 1979–1989. in Huddleston, E. W. and Pieper, R. D., eds. Snakeweed: Problems and Perspectives. N. M. State Univ. Agric: Exp. Stn. Bull. 751: 13–25.Google Scholar
McDaniel, K. C. and Duncan, K. W. 1987. Broom snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae) control with picloram and metsulfuron. Weed Sci. 35: 837–841.Google Scholar
Osman, A., Pieper, R. D., and McDaniel, K. C. 1987. Soil seed banks associated with individual broom snakeweed plants. J. Range Manage. 40: 441–443.Google Scholar
Parker, M. A. 1985. Size-dependant herbivore attack and the demography of an arid grassland shrub. Ecology 66: 850–860.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pieper, R. D. and McDaniel, K. C. 1989. Ecology and management of broom snakeweed. in Huddleston, E. W. and Pieper, R. D., eds. Snakeweed: Problems and Perspectives. N. M. State Univ. Agric. Exp. Stn. Bull. 751: 1–12.Google Scholar
van der Pijl, L. 1982. Principles of dispersal in higher plants. 3rd ed. New York: Springer-Verlag. 215 p.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ragsdale, B. J. 1969. Ecological and phenological characteristics of perennial broomweed. Ph.D. dissertation. Texas A&M University, College Station, TX. 142 p.Google Scholar
Rawls, W. J., Brakensiek, D. L., and Saxton, K. E. 1982. Estimation of soil water properties. Transactions of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers. 1316–1320.Google Scholar
[SAS] Statistical Analysis Systems. 1990. SAS Procedures Guide. Version 6, 3rd ed. Cary, NC: SAS Institute.Google Scholar
Tetrazolium Committee of Association of Official Seed Analysts. 1970. in Grabe, D. F., ed. Tetrazolium Testing, Handbook for Agricultural Seed No. 29, p. 62.Google Scholar
Thill, D. C., Zamora, D. L., and Kambitsch, D. L. 1985. Germination and viability of common crupina (Crupina vulgaris) achenes buried in the field. Weed Sci. 33: 344–348.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Torell, L. A., Gordon, H. W., McDaniel, K. C., and McGinty, A. 1988. Economic impacts of perennial snakeweed infestations. in James, L. F., Ralphs, M. H., and Nielsen, D. B., eds. The Ecology and Economic Impact of Poisonous Plants on Livestock Production. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, pp. 57–69.Google Scholar
Torell, L. A., Williams, K., and McDaniel, K. C. 1989. Probability of snakeweed die-off and invasion on rangeland. in Huddleston, E. W. and Pieper, R. D., eds. Snakeweed: Problems and Perspectives. N. M. State Univ. Agric. Exp. Stn. Bull. 751: 71–83.Google Scholar
Wangberg, J. K. 1982. Destructive and potentially destructive insects of snakeweed in western Texas and eastern New Mexico and a dioristic model of their biotic interactions. J. Range Manage. 35: 235–238.Google Scholar
Young, J. A. and Evans, R. A. 1989. Dispersal and germination of big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) seeds. Weed Sci. 37: 201–206.CrossRefGoogle Scholar