Can Cynodon Dactylon Suppress the Growth and Development of the Invasive Weeds Tagetes Minuta and Gutenbergia Cordifolia?
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plants Article Can Cynodon dactylon Suppress the Growth and Development of the Invasive Weeds Tagetes minuta and Gutenbergia cordifolia? Issakwisa B. Ngondya 1,* , Anna C. Treydte 1,2, Patrick A. Ndakidemi 1 and Linus K. Munishi 1 1 Department of Sustainable Agriculture, Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Management, School of Life Sciences and Bio-Engineering, The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha PO Box 447, Tanzania; [email protected] (A.C.T.); [email protected] (P.A.N.); [email protected] (L.K.M.) 2 Agroecology in the Tropics and Subtropics, Hans-Ruthenberg Institute, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +255-784-355-896 Received: 22 October 2019; Accepted: 12 November 2019; Published: 6 December 2019 Abstract: Approaches to managing invasive plants is challenging, particularly in protected areas where conventional methods, such as chemical herbicide applications are limited. We studied the effects of varying densities of Cynodon dactylon on the growth and development of the invasive weeds Tagetes minuta and Gutenbergia cordifolia in northern Tanzania. We conducted pot and field plot experiments following a completely randomized block design that was replicated three times. Increasing densities of C. dactylon significantly reduced growth, leaf total chlorophyll, biomass and significantly increased leaf anthocyanin of both T. minuta and G. cordifolia invasives. Our results further showed that the critical density of C. dactylon to suppress the two invasive species is 8 plants/m2. ≥ We suggest that C. dactylon can successfully be used as an alternative eco-friendly and sustainable approach for managing invasive weeds, such as T. minuta and G. cordifolia. This management technique can additionally improve forage production and biomass for wild and domestic herbivores in the affected areas. Keywords: association; Mexican marigold; couch grass; invasion; rangeland; common garden; Eastern Africa 1. Introduction For many decades, weed management in both farmlands and rangelands has mainly been employed through chemical herbicide applications [1]. This chemical control of invasive weeds has become a normal practice, but it often has been associated with a consecutive evolution of resistant weeds, and hence, further proliferated the problem of weed control [2]. Weed resistance to chemical herbicides is becoming a serious and increasingly challenging issue, further being fueled by heavy reliance on chemical herbicides. Likewise, rising concerns on environmental safety and increasing costs associated with chemical herbicides have highlighted the need for alternative tools that can be used to suppress invasive species. These management strategies need to replace chemical herbicides and be able to reduce the increasing weed resistance, environmental pollution and associated costs. Management of invasive weeds in protected ecosystems poses great challenges as herbicides, which often have proven successful in farmlands are not recommended for protected areas. Herbicides often have strong negative effects on other native flora and fauna [3,4], while traditional methods of controlling weeds, such as mechanical uprooting, cultivation and burning [5,6] are labor-intensive and costly. Prior to the late 1800s only mechanical control of weeds was used in agriculture [1], but Plants 2019, 8, 576; doi:10.3390/plants8120576 www.mdpi.com/journal/plants Plants 2019, 8, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 14 Plantsmethods2019, 8of, 576 controlling weeds, such as mechanical uprooting, cultivation and burning [5,6]2 ofare 14 labor-intensive and costly. Prior to the late 1800s only mechanical control of weeds was used in agriculture [1], but recently, weed control mechanisms, such as biological control and Integrated recently,Pest Management weed control (IPM) mechanisms, have been such recommended as biological controlto complement and Integrated and improve Pest Management the traditional (IPM) havecontrol been methods recommended [7]. Biological to complement control of andweeds, improve i.e., using the traditional living organisms, controlmethods is aimed [at7]. improving Biological controlecosystems of weeds, and reducing i.e., using the living competitive organisms, ability is aimed of target at improving weed species ecosystems so as to andreduce reducing stress theon competitivenative plant communities ability of target and weed associated species herbivores so as to reduce[8]. stress on native plant communities and associatedAlthough herbivores alternative [8]. management options, such as uprooting and mowing are often opted for, they Althoughare labor-demanding, alternative management and only a short options, term such remedy as uprooting as many and invasive mowing plant are seeds often remain opted for, in theythe soil are seed labor-demanding, bank. We propose and onlythat plant a short density- term remedydependent as manycompetitive invasive interactions plant seeds can remain be used in theto suppress soil seed invasives, bank. We partic proposeularly that the plant problematic density-dependent weeds T. minuta competitive and G. interactions cordifolia. This can benatural used tosuppression suppress invasives,can even help particularly in the restoration the problematic of previously weeds invadedT. minuta ecosystems,and G. cordifolia particularly. This grazing natural suppressionareas, by providing can even healthy help in forage the restoration vegetation of for previously mammalian invaded herbivores. ecosystems, As a low-cost, particularly low-impact grazing areas,management by providing technique, healthy plant-plant forage vegetation competition for mammalian has been herbivores. reported Asto abe low-cost, effective low-impact in some managementrestoration projects technique, [9]. plant-plant competition has been reported to be effective in some restoration projectsWe [aimed9]. at utilizing C. dactylon as a competitor, due to its agronomic value as a forage species [10]. WeAlso, aimed this atspecies utilizing wasC. found dactylon to asbe ahighly competitor, comp dueetitive to itsin agronomicprevious studies value as[11], a forage due to species its ability [10]. Also,to form this deep species roots was [10], found and its to ability be highly to grow competitive on soils with in previous a wide range studies of [pH11], [12]. due We to its studied ability the to formdensity-dependent deep roots [10 competitive], and its ability effect to of grow C. dactylon on soils on with growth a wide parameters range of and pH leaf [12]. pigments We studied of two the density-dependentspecies, i.e., T. minuta competitive and G. cordifolia, effect of whichC. dactylon haveon recently growth invaded parameters protected and leaf lands pigments of Tanzania. of two species,We set i.e.,up T.screen minuta houseand G. and cordifolia field, whichplot haveexperiments recently invadedby varying protected C. dactylon lands of densities Tanzania. and We sethypothesized up screen housethat andthis fieldspecies plot would experiments suppress by varying the twoC. dactylonweeds bydensities reducing and their hypothesized growth thatand thisdevelopment. species would Our suppressstudy might the twopave weeds the way by reducingfor the application their growth of andC. dactylon development. as a management Our study mighttool to pave suppress the way T. for minuta the application and G. cordifolia of C. dactylon in invadedas a management rangelands tool and to suppress to improveT. minuta pastureand G.production cordifolia inand invaded environmental rangelands sustainability. and to improve pasture production and environmental sustainability. 2. Results 2.1. Invasive Plant Growth Parameters 2.1. Invasive Plant Growth Parameters We observed a general decrease in G. cordifolia and T. minuta vigor with an increasing density of We observed a general decrease in G. cordifolia and T. minuta vigor with an increasing density C. dactylon plants (Figures1 and2). of C. dactylon plants (Figures 1 and 2). Figure 1.1. EEffectsffects of of increasing increasing densities densities of Cynodonof Cynodon dactylon dactylonplant plant individuals individuals on Tagetes on Tagetes minuta minutavigor (Cvigor= C. (C dactylon = C. dactylonand T and= T. T minuta = T. minut, numbersa, numbers represent represent proportions proportions of sown ofC. sown dactylon C. dactylonand T. minutaand T., wherebyminuta, whereby C0T2 was C0 theT2 was control). the control). Plants 2019, 8, 576 3 of 14 Plants 2019, 8, x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 of 14 Figure 2. EEffectsffects ofof increasingincreasing densities densities of ofC. C. dactylon dactylonon G.on cordifoliaG. cordifoliavigor vigor (C =(CC. = dactylonC. dactylonand and G = GG. = 0 2 cordifoliaG. cordifolia, numbers, numbers represent represent proportions proportions of sown of sownC. dactylon C. dactylonand T. minutaand T., whereminuta, C where0G2 was C aG control). was a control). The mean number of vegetative branches, panicles and leaf area of both T. minuta and G. cordifolia speciesThe di meanffered significantlynumber of vegetative across the fivebranches,C. dactylon paniclestreatments and leaf (Tables area1 ofand both2) and T. wasminuta over and four G. timescordifolia higher species in control differed pots significantly/plots than across in pots the/plots five with C. dactylonC. dactylon treatmentsat densities (Tables of > 81 individualsand 2) and was per potover/plot four (Figures times 3higher and4). in control