Demographic and Phenological Studies on David’s Spurge (Euphorbia davidii) in the Central Area of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina

Abstract

David’s Spurge is an spring-summer annual weed, present in the central area of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Field studies were carried out during 2011/12 and 2013/14 to assess demography and population dynamics and determine a thermal time scale of this species. At the experimental site, 1 m² quadrants were established as observational plots, four per cohort. The number of individuals at each phenological stage and from each cohort was recorded weekly. At the end of the experiment, all plots were harvested, and seed production was determined. A thermal time scale was established to identify the occurrence of the different phenological events. Three cohorts were detected, the first one emerged in mid-October, the second one in early November, and the last cohort varied from late November till early January, totalling an average of 1,500 m-2. Over 80% of the evaluated emergences belonged to the first and second cohorts in both periods. Thermal time requirements calculated to reach the 2-4 leaves, 6-8 leaves, branching, and flowering stages, were 192, 370, 515 and 1,155 oCd, respectively. Average seed production in the first, second and third cohort was 5,700, 6,400 and 1,900 seeds m-2, respectively. However, the total number of propagules from the sum of the three cohorts was similar in both years, about 14,000 seeds m-2. Results from this study will foster a better understanding of the ecophysiology of Euphorbia davidii in the study area, and it may be a valuable contribution from an integrated weed management perspective.