Seasonal variation of the sprouting ability of rhizome/root buds and concentrations of storage compounds in Calystegia sepium (L.) R. Br. and Convolvulus arvensis L.

Publication Type

Contribution to conference

Authors

Leonie Willeke and Hans-Jörg Kraehmer and Roland Gerhards and Wilhelm Claupein

Year of publication

2012

Published in

Proceedings of the 25th German Conference on Weed Biology and Weed Control

Editor

Henning Nordmeyer and Lena Ulber

Pubisher

Julius-Kühn-Institut , Berlin, Germany

Band/Volume

434/

Series/labeling

Julius-Kühn-Archiv

ISBN / ISSN / eISSN

978-3-930037-84-1

DOI

10.5073/jka.2012.434.090

Page (from - to)

694-701

Conference name

25. Deutsche Arbeitsbesprechung über Fragen der Unkrautbiologie und -bekämpfung (25th German Conference on Weed Biology and Weed Control)

Conference location

Braunschweig

Conference date

13.-15. März 2012

Convolvulus arvensis (CONAR) and Calystegia sepium (CAGSE) are widespread perennial weeds. Our field results demonstrate that the early application of herbicides usually does not result in complete control. Seasonal changes of the sprouting ability of rhizomes or root buds and the transport of different organic compounds within plants were therefore analyzed as possible indicators for times of maximum phloem and herbicide transport. Rhizome and root pieces from fields in Southern Germany were used. CAGSE buds remained completely dormant until March. Their sprouting ability increased up to over 90 % in May. CONAR buds sprouted only from May onwards and reached a maximum of over 90 % in June. After September, the sprouting ability decreased sharply until the underground organs became dormant in November. Greenhouse experiments were carried out to analyze the carbon and nitrogen concentration of roots and rhizomes with isotopic ratio mass spectrometer analysis (IRMS), sugars (fructose, glucose, sucrose) by using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and starch concentrations by polarimeter. Experiments started at the time of first shoots in spring and finished with the onset of winter dormancy in fall. Our results show that CAGSE exhausts starch in rhizomes up to mid-June and CONAR in roots up to late June. Thereafter, the amount of storage compounds increased again. By October, the starch concentration of dry weight in roots and rhizomes reached 11-12 % more than in spring. The November values were 21 % and 18 %, respectively. Sugar concentrations vary during the growing period from 1.5 % to 6 % related to dry weight. At the end of June, an increase was recorded in parallel to starch accumulation. These results are discussed as parameters for the control of both species.