Diffuse knapweed (Centaurea diffusa Lam.) has reduced forage production, watershed quality, and biodiversity, and increased soil erosion on millions of hectares of rangeland. Diffuse knapweed has evolved mechanisms that allow it to dominate sites in nearly monotypic stands. Understanding these mechanisms may provide useful information in developing weed management strategies. Objectives of this study were to investigate interference, growth rates, and resource partitioning between early and late emerging diffuse knapweed seedlings. Seeds of diffuse knapweed were planted 21 March (early emerging) and 14 April (late emerging) 1993 in addition series mixtures with total stand densities ranging from 1,000 7,000 plants m-2. Shoots were harvested on 1 and 2 June 1993. The greatest interference was among coemerging seedlings. Resource partitioning ratios (51 and 1398) indicated substantial partitioning between seedlings having different emergence dates. Continuous seedling emergence may allow diffuse knapweed to occupy all available safe sites. 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.