Rising CO2 can alter fodder–weed interactions and suppression of Parthenium hysterophorus |
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| Authors: | N Khan D George A Shabbir Z Hanif S W Adkins |
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| Institution: | 1. Tropical and Sub‐Tropical Weed Research Unit, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Qld, Australia;2. Department of Weed Science, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan;3. Department of Botany, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan;4. , Guelph, Canada |
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| Abstract: | Three C4 grass (Setaria incrassata, Astrebla squarrosa and Bothriochloa decipiens) and one C3 legume (Clitoria ternatea) suppressive fodder species, were re‐evaluated against the growth of the C3 Parthenium hysterophorus under an ambient (390 μmol mol?1) and an elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration (550 μmol mol?1). Under the elevated atmospheric CO2, shoot dry biomass and suppression index (SI) value of the C4 S. incrassata were both reduced by 32% and 0.7 respectively, while those for A. squarrosa were reduced by 23% and 0.3. In contrast and under the same elevated atmospheric CO2 concentration, the shoot dry biomass and SI of the C4 B. decipiens were increased by 8% and 0.1 respectively, while those for the C3 C. ternatea were increased by 38% and 0.8. Our results suggest that C3 fodder plants along with certain C4 species could be utilised for the effective management of P. hysterophorus under the future elevated atmospheric CO2 conditions. However, this system needs more fodder species to be investigated. Our results suggest that rising CO2 per se may alter the efficacy of suppressive fodder management of an invasive C3 species, P. hysterophorus. |
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| Keywords: | elevated CO2 climate change parthenium weed growth suppression fodder plants Australia |
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