Regeneration of An Invasive Weed Ipomoea cairica under Cutting Treatments

Abstract:

The survival, main stem length and biomass of Ipomoea cairica cuttings were studied under different light environments and different seasons. The results showed that the survival, main stem length, and biomass of I. cairica gradually decreased and the cutting germination delayed with the cutting length decreased. The survival of I. cairica had no significant difference under sunlight and the understory, and the plant biomass was less in the understory than that under the sunlight. The shorter cuttings were not subject to lengthen the main stem in the understory. The main stem length and biomass in winter were the lowest among four seasons. The longest length of the cuttings which can't regenerate was 4 cm under the sunlight and 5 cm in the understory in spring, 4 cm in summer, 1 cm in autumn, and 1 cm under the sunlight and 3 cm in the understory in winter, respectively. Therefore, it was economical removing method that I. cairica branches were cut into 5 cm length segments in spring, and put them in the understory. Without considering the seasonal and light conditions, less than 1 cm of the cuttings should be selected in order to effectively avoid the regeneration of I. cairica.

Key words:Ipomoea cairica (Linn.) Sweet;Cutting;Survival;Biomass