Abstract
Polygonum perfoliatum L. is an aggressive vine, currently invading the Black Sea region, Turkey. However, information about the seed germination biology of this species is scanty. The objective of the current study was to determine the seed germination biology of three naturalized populations of this species. Chemical scarification with 98% sulfuric acid for 30 min followed by cold-wet stratification at 4 °C for 4 weeks effectively released seed dormancy in tested populations. Seeds of all populations required a 12 h photoperiod for the highest germination, while germination under continuous dark and light remained similar. The seeds were able to germinate under a wide range of constant (5–40 °C) and alternating temperatures, pH (3–11), osmotic potential (0 to −1.4 MPa) and salinity (0–500 mM NaCl). However, the peak germination was observed under 20 °C constant and 20/15 °C alternating day/night temperature, and pH 6.8. Seeds of all populations were able to withstand 200 mM salinity and −0.6 MPa osmotic potential. Increasing seed burial depth initially stimulated seedling emergence and then a sharp decline was observed for the seeds buried below >2 cm depth. More than 90% of the seeds were unable to emerge when buried >6 cm depth. Polygonum perfoliatum has a large potential for range expansion; therefore, immediate management of the naturalized populations is warranted. This weed species in agricultural fields can be managed by burying the seeds in deeper soil layers (6 cm), while post-emergence management strategies need to be developed for roadside populations.
Highlights
Biological invasions are impacting natural and agricultural ecosystems in the world, and invasive alien species are considered as one of the major threats to biodiversity [1]
Rapid dispersal followed by successful establishment determines the invasion success of alien plant species into new habitats [7,8]; dispersal and subsequent naturalization are significantly affected by climatic conditions of the invaded regions [9]
The achenes of Mile-a-minute were collected from three different populations namely Borçka, Ardeşen and Dernekpazarı (Table 1), which are the names of Agronomy 2021, 11, 1123 small towns situated in Artvin, Rize and Trabzon provinces of the eastern Black Sea region, Turkey, respectively
Summary
Biological invasions are impacting natural and agricultural ecosystems in the world, and invasive alien species are considered as one of the major threats to biodiversity [1]. The interest on alien plant species has increased during the last decades due to their increased economic and ecological impacts [2,3,4]. Identifying the traits promoting the invasion and naturalization of alien plant species in exotic ranges has been an important question in ecology [5,6]. Rapid dispersal followed by successful establishment determines the invasion success of alien plant species into new habitats [7,8]; dispersal and subsequent naturalization are significantly affected by climatic conditions of the invaded regions [9]. Invasion dynamics are significantly altered by the selection of superior traits, i.e., successful seed germination, seedling establishment, rapid growth and seed dispersal under varying environmental conditions [10,11]. Seed germination plays a vital role in the invasion success of invasive plant species [16] and studying seed germination traits could provide valuable insights into the species’ invasiveness at regional and global scales
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