Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-14T09:34:24.106Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Seed germinability and its seasonal onset of Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Margot R. Bram  and
James N. McNair
James N. McNair
Affiliation:
Patrick Center for Environmental Research, Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Sexual reproduction is known to be an important means of propagation for native Japanese knotweed populations in Asia. For naturalized populations in the United States, however, its relative importance compared with propagation by rhizome and stem fragments has not been established. This article presents two related studies that address two basic questions regarding the potential for propagation by seed: (1) are seeds that are produced by Japanese knotweed in areas of Philadelphia, PA, capable of germinating in the field? If so, (2) when and how rapidly during the year do these seeds acquire germinability? Field germination experiments assessed germination of planted seeds at intervals during the growing season at two different study sites (one in 2000 and the other in 2002) and showed that germination was common at both sites. The 2002 experiment also demonstrated that germination occurred both within existing stands of Japanese knotweed and in areas well removed from existing stands, and that both planted and naturally occurring seeds germinated. Experiments on seasonal acquisition of seed germinability used batches of seeds collected weekly between early September and November 2000 from three different study sites. Results showed that at two of the study sites, a rapid increase in germinability from less than 10% to greater than 90% occurred between collection dates in mid-September and mid-October 2000. A smaller and more gradual change occurred at the third site, where maximum germinability was roughly 50%. Regarding management of Japanese knotweed, the field germination experiments suggest that spread of this plant by seed is a realistic possibility in the United States. Because of the rapidity with which germinability is acquired, the high germinability attained, and the large number of seeds produced, we recommend that female (male-sterile) plants or their inflorescences be removed from seed-producing populations before the formation of fruits to minimize spread by seed.

Keywords

Japanese knotweed, Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. & Zucc. POLCUFallopia japonica (Houtt.) Ronse DecraeneReynoutria japonica Houttpercentage germinationsexual reproduction
Type
Weed Biology and Ecology
Information
Weed Science , Volume 52 , Issue 5 , October 2004 , pp. 759 - 767
Copyright
Copyright © 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

Bailey, J. P. 1994. Reproductive biology and fertility of Fallopia japonica (Japanese knotweed) and its hybrids in the British Isles. Pages 141–158 in de Waal, L. C., Child, L. E., Wade, P. M., and Brock, J. H. eds. Ecology and Management of Invasive Riverside Plants. New York: J. Wiley.Google Scholar
Bailey, J. P. 1999. The Japanese knotweed invasion of Europe: The potential for further evolution in non-native regions. Pages 27–37 in Yano, E., Matsuo, K., Shiyomi, M., and Andow, D. A. eds. Biological Invasions of Ecosystem by Pests and Beneficial Organisms. Tsukuba, Japan: National Institute of Agro-Environmental Sciences.Google Scholar
Bailey, J. P., Child, L. E., and Conolly, A. P. 1996. A survey of the distribution of Fallopia × bohemica (Chrtek & Chrtková) J. Bailey (Polygonaceae) in the British Isles. Watsonia 21:187–198.Google Scholar
Bailey, J. P. and Conolly, A. P. 2000. Prize-winners to pariahs—a history of Japanese knotweed s.l. (Polygonaceae) in the British Isles. Watsonia 23:93–110.Google Scholar
Bates, D. M. and Watts, D. G. 1988. Nonlinear Regression Analysis and Its Applications. New York: J. Wiley.Google Scholar
Beerling, D. J., Bailey, J. P., and Conolly, A. P. 1994. Biological flora of the British Isles no. 183 Fallopia japonica (Houtt.) Ronse Decraene (Reynoutria japonica Houtt.; Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. & Zucc). J. Ecol 82:959–979.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clarke, J. M. 1989. Loss of green color and changes in kernel weight following windrowing of immature wheat. Can. J. Plant Sci 69:721–727.Google Scholar
Conolly, A. P. 1977. The distribution and history in the British Isles of some alien species of Polygonum and Reynoutria . Watsonia 11:291–311.Google Scholar
de Waal, L. C. 2001. A viability study of Fallopia japonica stem tissue. Weed Res 41:447–460.Google Scholar
Draper, N. R. and Smith, H. 1998. Applied Regression Analysis. New York: J. Wiley.Google Scholar
Forman, J. and Kesseli, R. V. 2003. Sexual reproduction in the invasive species Fallopia japonica (Polygonaceae). Am. J. Bot 90:586–592.Google Scholar
Funatsuki, H., Maruyama-Funatsuki, W., Fujino, K., and Agatsuma, M. 2000. Ripening habit of buckwheat. Crop Sci 40:1103–1108.Google Scholar
Hintze, J. 2001. Number Cruncher Statistical Systems Statistical Software. UT: Kaysville.Google Scholar
Ihaka, R. and Gentleman, R. 1996. R: a language for data analysis and graphics. J. Comput. Graph. Stat 5:299–314.Google Scholar
Locandro, R. R. 1973. Reproductive Ecology of Polygonum cuspidatum . Ph.D. dissertation. Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ.Google Scholar
Maruta, E. 1983. Growth and survival of current-year seedlings of Polygonum cuspidatum at the upper distribution limit on Mt. Fuji. Oecologia 60:316–320.Google Scholar
Maruta, E. 1994. Seedling establishment of Polygonum cuspidatum and Polygonum weyrichii var. alpinum at high altitudes of Mt. Fuji. Ecol. Res 9:205–213.Google Scholar
Seiger, L. A. 1993. The Ecology and Control of Reynoutria japonica (Polygonum cuspidatum). Ph.D. dissertation. George Washington University, Washington, D.C. Google Scholar
Seiger, L. A. and Merchant, H. C. 1997. Mechanical control of Japanese knotweed (Fallopia japonica [Houtt.] Ronse Decraene): effects of cutting regime on rhizomatous reserves. Nat. Areas J 17:341–345.Google Scholar
Smith, B. S. 1991. The effect of weed seed maturity on germination. Pages 59–61 in Proceedings of the 43rd California Weed Conference. Freemont, CA: California Weed Conference.Google Scholar
Snedecor, G. W. and Cochran, W. G. 1989. Statistical Methods. 8th ed. Ames, IA: Iowa State University Press. Pp. 226–227.Google Scholar
Wicks, G. A. and Derscheid, L. A. 1964. Leafy spurge seed maturation. Weeds 12:175–176.Google Scholar