Abstract
AbstractThis study compared the responses ofPhragmites mauritianusandP. australisto waterlogging stress for 5 months. Plants were subjected to a 2 × 4 factorial experiment with two species and four soil moisture regimes: well drained (WD), half flooded (½F), flooded/drained at weekly intervals (F/D) and continuously flooded (F). Soil redox potential (Eh) was high in the WD (+138 to +126 mV) and low in the F treatments (−360 to −401 mV). Flooding increased plant height, number of culms, shoot elongation and total dry biomass accumulation in both species. In the flooded treatments, there was greater biomass allocation to above ground than below ground components, which contributed to increases in above‐ground/below‐ground ratios. In the flooded treatments, specific gravity of culms decreased by 18% inP. australisand by 10% inP. mauritianusindicating greater aerenchyma with waterlogging. In both reeds, flooding induced numerous adventitious roots from the base of the culms. In the F treatments, plant height, number of culms, total dry biomass accumulation and aerenchyma development were greater inP. australisthan inP. mauritianus. These data suggest thatP. australishas a competitive edge overP. mauritianusunder waterlogged conditions.
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