Abstract
Solidago gigantea Ait. (goldenrod) belongs to the most expansive environmental weeds, and it is the most dangerous plant-invader of American origin in Europe. The species easily propagates vegetatively, but it also produces large amounts of wind-disseminated achenes that contribute to the colonization of new areas. A sound knowledge of the germination biology of goldenrods is required to control the spread of this invasive species. The objective of this study was to investigate selected aspects of germination of giant goldenrod achenes and to determine: the influence of temperature and humidity on seed dormancy and germination, the content of soluble carbohydrates in seeds and the sensitivity of seeds to selected phytohormones. Unlike native weed species of the same family, S. gigantea seeds did not display symptoms of innate dormancy, and high seed vigor was maintained after storage in a wide range of temperatures, in both dry and moist conditions. The physiological mechanisms behind those traits have not yet been fully explored, but they could be associated with the relatively high sucrose-to-hexose ratio in seeds and significant sensitivity to abscisic acid. More extensive research is required to explain the internal causes for the atypical behavior of goldenrod seeds during dry and moist storage, especially in the context of its invasiveness, because the species has a preference for sites located close to river banks.
Highlights
Selected plant species are characterized by considerable invasiveness, which carries many risks
Dry storage of seeds at 12, 19 and 26 °C had a minor influence on final germination (FG) and the parameters of the hydrotime model of S. gigantea achenes
Solidago gigantea produces huge amounts of small and light seeds equipped with dispersal mechanisms (Weber and Jacobs 2005), which could suggest that generative reproduction is very important for both regeneration and propagation in the species
Summary
Selected plant species are characterized by considerable invasiveness, which carries many risks. Such plants spread and colonize new habitats, becoming the dominant species in the flora (Mack et al 2000), which leads to a rapid decrease in biodiversity, especially in relation to the native species. The giant goldenrod was introduced to Europe in the eighteenth century as an ornamental plant (Weber and Schmid 1998; Weber and Jacobs 2005). The giant goldenrod is much more prevalent in south-western and central Poland (Szymura and Szymura 2013; Kołaczkowska 2012), and it occurs far less frequently in the north-eastern part of the country (Korniak et al 2012)
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