Growth characteristics of diffuse knapweed (Centaurea diffusa Lam.) and bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata (Pursch) Scribn. Smith) seedlings were evaluated in 2 temperature regimes, 10 and 16 degrees C, and 2 moisture regimes, -0.01 and -0.03 MPa, in an environmental chamber. In cool, wet conditions, root penetration was greater for diffuse knapweed roots than bluebunch wheatgrass roots, but penetration was equal in warm, dry conditions. Root lengths for both species were equal in cool, wet conditions; but, bluebunch wheatgrass root length was greater in warm, dry conditions. Leaf area of diffuse knapweed was greater than bluebunch wheatgrass in warm, dry conditions. Drier, but not cooler, conditions favored diffuse knapweed leaf area over bluebunch wheatgrass leaf area. Root:shoot ratios for bluebunch wheatgrass were greater than diffuse knapweed in all environmental conditions. Results suggest that bluebunch wheatgrass should be more competitive than diffuse knapweed for nutrients and water at lower depths in warmer, drier conditions. Diffuse knapweed should be more competitive for nutrients and water in wetter conditions. The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact lbry-journals@email.arizona.edu for further information. Migrated from OJS platform August 2020
Scholarly peer-reviewed articles published by the Society for Range Management. Access articles on a rolling-window basis from vol. 1, 1948 up to 5 years from the current year. Formerly Journal of Range Management (JRM). More recent content is available by subscription from SRM.