Competition and propagule density affect sexual and clonal propagation of a weed.

Atwater, Kim, Tekiela, Barney

 

This study was pioneered by Wonjae Kim, an undergraduate student at Virginia Tech who designed and executed it on a grant from the Fralin Life Sciences Institute.

Wonjae confirmed that Johnsongrass establishes readily both from seed and from buried rhizome fragments, although these two modes of reproduction differed in their sensitivity to competition and soil quality. In fact, a single plant produces enough seeds and rhizomes to establish over more than a hectare (if spread out evenly)!

Wonjae’s results show that effective management of Johnsongrass must limit spread from both seeds and underground rhizomes.

A great way to ring in the new year!