Abstract
The invasion by Cryptostegia madagascariensis causes economic and environmental problems in Northeastern Brazil. Current study evaluates the initial growth of C. madagascariensis on light gradient. The experiment used 0, 30, 50 and 70% shading treatments arranged in a completely randomized design and evaluated in four periods, namely, 35, 50, 65 and 80 days. Height, absolute growth rate, relative growth rate, number of side branches, number of leaves, leaf area, specific leaf area, leaf area ratio, root mass ratio, stem mass ratio, leaf mass ratio and leaf area/root mass ratio were evaluated. Results showed that the height was greater in shade environments, and the greater the available light, the greater was the number of side branches. C. madagascariensis is able to change the leaf area, specific leaf area and biomass allocation in different shadings. Since C. madagascariensis varies growth forms and performs morphological adjustments to increase light uptake, the plant has warranted success during the initial growth under different shadings.
Highlights
Invasive plants direct and indirect impact ecosystems (WEIDENHAMER; CALLAWAY, 2010) and the analysis of different abiotic factors such as light, temperature and water availability that interfere with the invasiveness of new areas triggers to in-depth knowledge on the invasion process (THEOHARIDES; DUKES, 2007; GUREVITCH et al, 2008) and on the risks of new invasions
The Caatinga is a deciduous forest of the Brazilian Northeastern semiarid region, plants shed off their old foliage during the dry season, whilst new growth begins at the start of the rainy season, causing variations in light availability (BARBOSA, 2003)
Seeds were stored in a cold chamber at 10°C and 60% relative humidity (RH) for 2 months until the beginning of the experiment which was conducted under different light availabilities at the Didactic Center for Agricultural Sciences, Plant Science Department, Federal University of Ceará
Summary
Invasive plants direct and indirect impact ecosystems (WEIDENHAMER; CALLAWAY, 2010) and the analysis of different abiotic factors such as light, temperature and water availability that interfere with the invasiveness of new areas triggers to in-depth knowledge on the invasion process (THEOHARIDES; DUKES, 2007; GUREVITCH et al, 2008) and on the risks of new invasions. Light availability is one of the most important resources for plants, and their responses to light availability variations are critical to assess the invasiveness in different areas (FUNK, 2013). The Caatinga is a deciduous forest of the Brazilian Northeastern semiarid region, plants shed off their old foliage during the dry season, whilst new growth begins at the start of the rainy season, causing variations in light availability (BARBOSA, 2003). Studies on deciduous forest species under different shading conditions demonstrate that light does not affect the species survival, but it affects their growth, biomass
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
