Effect of rhizome fragment length and burial depth on emergence of Tussilago farfara

Abstract

Summary Mechanical control of Tussilago farfara is carried out mainly by soil cultivation. The aim is to deplete the energy stored in the rhizomes. The treatment includes cutting the rhizomes, to stimulate increased shooting, followed by renewed soil cultivation to destroy the shoots and incorporate them into the soil. Factors generally regarded as important in the control of perennial weeds are extent of fragmentation and burial depth. In this study, the importance of these two factors on T. farfara emergence was studied in detail in two pot experiments. Rhizomes were cut into different lengths (5–25 cm) and buried at various depths (1–42 cm) in pots filled with peat soil or clay loam. Shoot germination, emergence and early plant performance were studied. Intensive fragmentation and deep burial (possible to achieve using conventional tillage) are not enough to completely hinder emergence of T. farfara; 6‐cm fragments emerged and developed normal leaves from 42 cm depth, regardless of soil type. However, there were higher total emergence and emergence rates in peat soil than in clay soil. Burial depth was correlated with time to emergence; burying rhizome fragments, not longer than 25 cm, to at least 20 cm depth gave a time to emergence of at least 20 days. The delay of weed emergence should allow good establishment of a crop and ensure a significant competitive effect against T. farfara.

Effect of Rhizome Fragment Length and Burial Depth on the Emergence of a Tropical Invasive Weed Cyperus aromaticus (Navua Sedge)

“…The emergence from the rhizome decreased as the burial depth of the rhizome increased. A decline in emergence with increasing burial depth has also been observed in other rhizomatous species, such as Tussilago farfara (Coltsfoot), Physalis viscosa (Prairie groundcherry), and Cynodon dactylon (Bermudagrass) [ 26 , 27 , 31 ]. The energy required by the emerging tillers to reach the soil surface increases with the increase in burial depth, and the regrowth from the rhizomes may fail to reach the surface due to insufficient nutrient reserves [ 29 ].…”

“…The deeper the burial and the smaller the rhizome fragment will mean more energy will be used for shoot emergence [ 11 ]. The second advantage is that ungerminated buds will have lower reserves in the rhizome fragment for shoot emergence [ 26 ].…”

“…Regeneration from buried rhizomes and their fragments is an important phenomenon contributing to the rapid increases in population of rhizomatous weeds, such as C. aromaticus , making understanding the effect of burial depth on the regeneration from rhizomes an important control issue [ 24 ]. Studies conducted on other rhizomatous weed species suggest that shoot emergence from a rhizome fragment is strongly dependent on the rhizome size and the burial depth of the rhizome [ 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 , 29 ]. Typically, it is expected that deep burial of short rhizome fragments will reduce shoot emergence.…”

Vegetative propagation of Solidago canadensis – do fragment size and burial depth matter?

“…Increasing burial depth had a negative effect on rhizome survival for all three populations. Decreasing survival or vigour of shoot growth from rhizomes with increasing burial depth is common for rhizomatous perennials, as their energy reserves are expended while growing towards the surface (Klimes et al ., ; Dalbato et al ., ). There was almost no difference in survival between the populations at 0.5 cm burial depth, most likely due to the rhizomes containing enough energy to grow new shoots and produce assimilates (Price et al ., ).…”

Effects of Rhizome Length and Planting Depth on the Emergence and Growth of Alepidea amatymbica Eckl. & Zeyh

“…Although, seeds has been used for cultivation of A. amatymbica, seedling production using rhizome explants has never been done. Seedling production through micropropagation of rhizomes as explants and at appropriate planting depth has been reported by many researchers for Laccosperma secundiflorum [22], Miscathus giganteus [23] and Tussilago farfara [24] to improve cultivation.…”