ఆగ్రోటెక్నాలజీ

నైరూప్య

Growth and Reproduction of Annual Sowthistle (Sonchus asper L.) in Response to Environmental Light

Zahra Hosseini Cici S, Brian Sindel, Steve Adkins and Jim Hanan

Sowthistle (Sonchus asper L.) is believed to be a highly resource demanding species that spreads mainly by seeds. In this study, the effect of light availability on plant size and seed production was investigated. Sowthistle plants showed high phenotypic plasticity in their height, number of leaves, leaf length and number of branches per plant in relation to light availability. Seed mass production per plant ranged from >3.5 g in the control to less than 0.2 g in the 50% light availability treatment. It was concluded that changing the canopy architecture of crops can suppress growth and seed production in this plant. The results of this research can be used to develop models in crop-weed competition.