Variation Among U.S. Accessions of Common Cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium)1

Abstract

Common cocklebur is an adaptable species found in diverse environments. We grew 28 common cocklebur accessions from 14 states at Urbana, IL, to compare their growth, physiology, and morphology in a common environment to determine if regional control recommendations of specific biotypes might be practical. Accessions were evaluated for midseason and maximum heights and widths, flowering date, insect damage, and petiole color in 1998 and 1999. Weight of aboveground tissue, photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, chlorophyll content, and leaf and bur morphology descriptions were also taken in 1999. Midseason and maximum widths, midseason height, flowering date, and insect damage differed significantly based on the year of evaluation. The year by accession interaction was a significant source of variation for midseason and maximum heights and widths, flowering date, insect damage, and petiole color. Within each year, accessions differed significantly for all measured variables except maximum width in 1998 ...