Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T23:36:11.710Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Timing Control Efforts to Limit Seed Set of Common Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Hannah D. Wilbur  and
Ruth A. Hufbauer
Hannah D. Wilbur*
Affiliation:
Colorado State University, Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Department of Bioagricultural Science and Pest Management, Campus Mail 1177, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1177
Ruth A. Hufbauer
Affiliation:
Colorado State University, Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, Department of Bioagricultural Science and Pest Management, Campus Mail 1177, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1177
*
Corresponding author's E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Control options for the nonnative common mullein are of increasing interest to land managers in the west. Common mullein is a prolific seed producer, with a single plant able to produce well over 100,000 seeds. We found that mechanical control of common mullein before mature seed capsules developed along the raceme significantly reduced viable seed production. Seeds from immature capsules had very low viability (early reproductive stage = 0.08%, 95% CI = 0.06%, 0.67%; mid reproductive stage = 1.52%, 95% CI = 0.49%, 3.11%). This information allows managers to time their management efforts so that they can reduce the amount of plant material that must be disposed of in order to control the spread of common mullein seeds.

Keywords

Common mullein, Verbascum thapsus L.physical controlmechanical controlmanagementseed viability
Type
Notes and Commentary
Information
Invasive Plant Science and Management , Volume 5 , Issue 3 , September 2012 , pp. 390 - 394
Copyright
Copyright © Weed Science Society of America 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Literature Cited

Baskin, C. C. and Baskin, J. M. 1998. Seeds: Ecology, Biogeography, and Evolution of Dormancy and Germination. San Diego, CA Academic. 666 p.Google Scholar
Fornwalt, P. J., Kaufmann, M. R., and Stohlgren, T. J. 2010. Impacts of mixed severity wildfire on exotic plants in a Colorado ponderosa pine-Douglas-fir forest. Biol. Invasions 12:2683–2695.Google Scholar
Gross, K. L. 1980. Colonization by Verbascum thapsus (mullein) of an old-field in Michigan: experiments on the effect of vegetation. J. Ecol. 68:919–927.Google Scholar
Gross, K. L. and Werner, P. A. 1978. Verbascum thapsus L. and V. blattaria L. Can. J. Plant Sci. 58:401–413.Google Scholar
Guennel, G. K. 2004. Guide to Colorado Wildflowers: Plains and Foothills. Englewood, CO Westcliffe. 336 p.Google Scholar
Guo, S. L., Jiang, H. W., Fang, F., and Chen, G. Q. 2009. Influences of herbicides, uprooting and the use as cut flowers on sexual reproduction of Solidago canadensis . Weed Res. 49:291–299.Google Scholar
Hay, F. R., Probert, R. J., and Coomber, S. A. 1997. Development of desiccation tolerance and longevity in seeds from detached capsules of foxglove (Digitalis purpurea L). Ann Bot-London. 79:419–427.Google Scholar
Hoshovsky, M. C. 2003. Element Stewardship Abstract for Verbascum thapsus. Element Stewardship Abstracts. Arlington, VA Nature Conservancy. 9 p.Google Scholar
Kermode, A. R. 1990. Regulatory mechanisms involved in the transition from seed development to germination. Crit. Rev. Plant Sci. 9:155–195.Google Scholar
Kivilaan, A. and Bandurski, R. S. 1981. The one hundred-year period for Dr. Beal's seed viability experiment. Am. J. Bot. 68:1290–1292.Google Scholar
Lindman, H. R. 1974. Analysis of variance in complex experimental designs. San Francisco Freeman. 341 p.Google Scholar
Lortie, C. J. and Aarssen, L. W. 1999. The advantage of being tall: higher flowers receive more pollen in Verbascum thapsus L. (Scrophulariaceae). Ecoscience 6:68–71.Google Scholar
Martinkova, Z., Honek, A., and Lukas, J. 2011. Viability of Taraxacum officinale seeds after anthesis. Weed Res. 51:508–515.Google Scholar
McCaughey, T. L. and Stephenson, G. R. 2000. Time from flowering to seed viability in purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria). Aquat. Bot. 66:57–68.Google Scholar
Pitcairn, M. 2000. Verbascum thapsus L. Pages 321–326 in Bossard, C. C., Randall, J. M., and Hoshovsky, M. C., eds. Invasive Plants of California's Wildlands. Berkeley, CA University of California Press. 360.Google Scholar
Reinartz, J. A. 1984a. Life history variation of common mullein (Verbascum thapsus L.) I. Latitudinal differences in population dynamics and timing of reproduction. J. Ecol. 72:897–912.Google Scholar
Reinartz, J. A. 1984b. Life history variation of common mullein (Verbascum thapsus L.) II. Plant size, biomass partitioning and morphology. J. Ecol. 72:913–925.Google Scholar
Stevens, O. A. 1932. The number and weight of seeds produced by weeds. Am. J. Bot. 19:784–794.Google Scholar
Whitson, T. D., Burrill, L. C., Dewey, S. A., Cudney, D. W., Nelson, B. E., Lee, R. D., and Parker, R. 1996. Weeds of the West. Jackson, WY Pioneer of Jackson Hole. 630 p.Google Scholar