Differences in Seed Set and Fill of Cultivars of Miscanthus Grown in USDA Cold Hardiness Zone 5 and Their Potential for Invasiveness

Miscanthus sinensis Andersson has become a very popular ornamental grass used in a variety of horticultural settings, yet in many states it now appears on invasive species lists. Many cultivars have been released with a range of different characteristics that likely increase or decrease their invasive potential in different climates. To determine the fecundity, and by extension, the invasive potential of cultivars currently sold in USDA cold hardiness Zone 5, thirty-one cultivars of M. sinensis (Maiden grass, Chinese silver grass) along with one Miscanthus subspecies cultivar (M. sinensis Andersson subsp. condensatus (Hack.) T. Koyamama ‘Cabaret’), one Miscanthus hybrid (M. × giganteus J.M. Greef & Deuter ex Hodk. Renvoize), and one related species (M. sacchariflorus (Maxim.) Hack.) were transplanted into a common garden at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Cook County, IL, and evaluated for flowering, growth habit, and seed viability. Over the course of the 5-year trial period, 68.1% of all plants survived. Growth in clump size varied greatly among taxa, as did flowering periods. Most cultivars set filled seed, ranging from 14 to 349,327 seeds per plant; only four produced no seed over the course of the trial. Most cultivars of the species represent a high risk for self-seeding in Zone 5. Because Miscanthus sinensis is self-incompatible (8), risk of self-seeding increases when two or more cultivars are grown together. Implications for potential invasiveness are discussed.

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Response of Five Miscanthus sinensis Cultivars to Grasshopper Herbivory: Implications for Monitoring of Invasive Grasses in Protected Areas

Plants ◽

10.3390/plants11010053 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 53

Author(s):

Alina Avanesyan ◽

William O. Lamp

Keyword(s):

Protected Areas ◽

Biotic Resistance ◽

Insect Herbivory ◽

Seed Viability ◽

Leaf Damage ◽

Miscanthus Sinensis ◽

Plant Responses ◽

Plant Tolerance ◽

Invasive Potential ◽

Invasive Grasses

Introduced grasses can aggressively expand their range and invade native habitats, including protected areas. Miscanthus sinensis is an introduced ornamental grass with 100+ cultivars of various invasive potential. Previous studies have demonstrated that the invasive potential of M. sinensis cultivars may be linked to seed viability, and some of the physiological traits, such as growth rate. Little is known, however, about whether these traits are associated with response of M. sinensis to insect herbivory, and whether plant tolerance and resistance to herbivory vary among its cultivars; which, in turn, can contribute to the invasive potential of some of M. sinensis cultivars. To address this issue, in our study we explored the response of five cultivars of M. sinensis to herbivory by Melanoplus grasshoppers. We demonstrated that plant responses varied among the cultivars during a season; all the cultivars, but “Zebrinus”, demonstrated a significant increase in plant tolerance by the end of the growing season regardless of the amount of sustained leaf damage. Different patterns in plant responses from “solid green” and “striped/spotted” varieties were recorded, with the lowest plant resistance detected for “Autumn Anthem” in the cage experiment. Our results have important applications for monitoring low-risk invaders in protected areas, as well as for biotic resistance of native communities to invasive grasses.

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Flowering, Fecundity, Seed Germination, and Seed Viability of Viburnum opulus L. Cultivars

Journal of Environmental Horticulture ◽

10.24266/0738-2898-27.1.31 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 27 (1) ◽

pp. 31-36

Author(s):

Janine R. Conklin ◽

James C. Sellmer

Keyword(s):

Seed Germination ◽

Seed Production ◽

Seed Viability ◽

Biological Traits ◽

Limited Information ◽

Viable Seed ◽

Invasive Potential ◽

Short Term ◽

Viburnum Opulus ◽

Tetrazolium Test

Abstract Mature specimens of Viburnum opulus and cultivars ‘Leonard's Dwarf’ and ‘Roseum’ were assessed over 2 years for flower and seed production, seed germination, and seed viability as determined by a tetrazolium test to understand their invasive potential. ‘Aureum’, ‘Compactum’, ‘Losely's Compact’, ‘Nanum’, and ‘Xanthocarpum’ were also tested for germination and viability of seeds. Cultivars differed in flower and seed production, seed germination, and seed viability. ‘Roseum’ prolifically produced highly viable seed that germinated at moderate rates under greenhouse conditions (8,354, 100%, and 73%, respectively). Viburnum opulus and ‘Leonard's Dwarf’ produced fewer viable seed which showed moderate to low germination rates (609, 100%, and 53%; 712, 100%, and 5%, respectively). ‘Aureum’ and ‘Xanthocarpum’ seeds germinated at moderate rates (55 and 25%, respectively) and were highly viable (100%). ‘Compactum’, ‘Losely's Compact’, and ‘Nanum’ germinated at low rates or failed to germinate (0, 0, and 5%, respectively), yet seeds were moderately viable (37, 65, and 55%, respectively). Seeds of all cultivars germinated at low rates or failed to germinate at both outdoor sites (0 to 5%) which suggests these plants may be weakly invasive. Short-term studies on biological traits such as these provide only limited information to assess the invasive potential of cultivars.

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Genetic variation in fall cold hardiness in coastal Douglas-fir in western Oregon and Washington

Canadian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1139/b06-084 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 84 (7) ◽

pp. 1110-1121 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

J. Bradley St. Clair

Keyword(s):

Genetic Variation ◽

Cold Hardiness ◽

Environmental Gradients ◽

Large Population ◽

Common Garden ◽

Cold Season ◽

Douglas Fir ◽

Bud Burst ◽

Population Differences ◽

Bud Set

Genetic variation in fall cold damage in coastal Douglas-fir ( Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco var. menziesii ) was measured by exposing excised branches of seedlings from 666 source locations grown in a common garden to freezing temperatures in a programmable freezer. Considerable variation was found among populations in fall cold hardiness of stems, needles, and buds compared with bud burst, bud set, and biomass growth after 2 years. Variation in fall cold hardiness was strongly correlated (r = 0.67) with cold-season temperatures of the source environment. Large population differences corresponding with environmental gradients are evidence that natural selection has been important in determining genetic variation in fall cold hardiness, much more so than in traits of bud burst (a surrogate for spring cold hardiness), bud set, and growth. Seed movement guidelines and breeding zones may be more restrictive when considering genetic variation in fall cold hardiness compared with growth, phenology, or spring cold hardiness. A regional stratification system based on ecoregions with latitudinal and elevational divisions, and roughly corresponding with breeding zones used in Oregon and Washington, appeared to be adequate for minimizing population differences within regions for growth and phenology, but perhaps not fall cold hardiness. Although cold hardiness varied among populations, within-population and within-region variation is sufficiently large that responses to natural or artificial selection may be readily achieved.

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Landscape Performance, Flowering, and Seed Viability of 15 Japanese Silver Grass Cultivars Grown in Northern and Southern Florida

HortTechnology ◽

10.21273/horttech.16.4.0686 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 686-693 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Sandra B. Wilson ◽

Gary W. Knox

Keyword(s):

Seed Viability ◽

Visual Quality ◽

Peak Performance ◽

Miscanthus Sinensis ◽

Viable Seed ◽

Entire Study ◽

Central Park ◽

Landscape Performance ◽

Quality Ratings ◽

Southern Florida

Japanese silver grass (Miscanthus sinensis) and 14 cultivars were transplanted in northern and southern Florida and evaluated for landscape performance, flowering, growth, and seed viability. All plants survived the 84-week study at both locations with the exception of `Morning Light', where 22% to 33% of the plants died. In northern and southern Florida, `Arabesque', `Adagio', `Cosmopolitan', and `Gracillimus' received the highest visual quality ratings on average throughout the entire study, yet other cultivars such as `Central Park' and `Silberfeder' performed well but had much narrower windows of peak performance. Cultivars such as `Little Kitten' and `Sarabande' performed far better in southern Florida than in northern Florida. Regardless of location, `Morning Light' and `Puenktchen' generally did not perform as well as other cultivars. In northern Florida, four consecutive months of very good to excellent flowering (75% to 100% canopy coverage) were observed for `Adagio', `Arabesque', `Cosmopolitan', `Gracillimus', `Little Kitten', `Sarabande', `Silberfeder', and `Zebrinus'. However, in southern Florida, peak flowering periods for these cultivars were delayed and generally only lasted for 1 to 2 months. On average, plants in northern Florida were larger and produced 2.8 times more flowers than plants in southern Florida. All cultivars produced viable seed with germination of viable seed ranging from 53.6% (`Cabaret') to 100% (`Gracillimus') in southern Florida, and from 49.8% (`Arabesque') to 100% (`Adagio', `Little Kitten', `Sarabande', and `Variegatus') in northern Florida.

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Cold Hardiness and the Effects of a Low-input Regime on 15 Tall, Warm-season, Native and Ornamental Grasses in the Upper Midwestern United States

HortTechnology ◽

10.21273/horttech03455-16 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 26 (6) ◽

pp. 735-741 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Alan Zuk ◽

Qi Zhang ◽

Ted Helms ◽

Harlene Hatterman-Valenti

Keyword(s):

Cold Hardiness ◽

Warm Season ◽

Leaf Length ◽

Miscanthus Sinensis ◽

Big Bluestem ◽

Low Input ◽

Quality Ratings ◽

Miscanthus Sacchariflorus ◽

Ornamental Grasses ◽

Soil Temperatures

Fifteen tall, warm-season, native and ornamental grasses were subjected to a 3-year, low-input, and cold hardiness trial conducted from 2010 to 2013 in zone 4a at Fargo and Mandan, ND. Grasses tested were big bluestem [species (Andropogon gerardii)], ‘Pawnee’ big bluestem (A. gerardii), silver banner grass (Miscanthus sacchariflorus), giant miscanthus (Miscanthus ×giganteus), hardy pampas grass, (Saccharum ravennae), and the following maidengrass (Miscanthus sinensis) cultivars: Silver Feather, Narrow Leaf, Blondo, Autumn Light, Condensatus, Grosse Fontaine, Morning Light, Gracillimus, Strictus, and Zebrinus. In addition to survival, the grasses were also rated for spring vigor and fall quality (0–10 scale for both evaluations), fall leaf length, and fall flower height. The grasses received no management during the trial other than irrigation during the first season and weed control. The grasses were exposed to subsurface soil temperatures (at 6-inch depth) that reached as low as −8.6 °C at the Fargo location and −6 °C at the Mandan location. The study revealed that all big bluestem (species), ‘Pawnee’ big bluestem, and silver banner grass survived at both locations; silver banner grass scored the highest spring vigor ratings; silver banner grass and ‘Pawnee’ big bluestem scored the highest fall quality ratings; silver banner grass produced the longest fall leaf length; and ‘Pawnee’ big bluestem, big bluestem (species), and silver banner grass produced the tallest fall flowers.

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Geographic and seasonal variation in cold hardiness of whitebark pine

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x06-067 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 36 (7) ◽

pp. 1842-1850 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

Andrew D Bower ◽

Sally N Aitken

Keyword(s):

Cold Hardiness ◽

Common Garden ◽

Early Summer ◽

Cold Injury ◽

Harsh Environments ◽

Whitebark Pine ◽

Geographic Patterns ◽

Winter Temperatures ◽

Northern Regions ◽

Intensive Sampling

Artificial freeze-testing utilizing the electrolyte-leakage method was used to test the cold hardiness of 2-year-old whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis Engelm.) seedlings growing in a common garden. Testing across all seasons was used to determine the annual pattern of cold hardiness, and more intensive sampling in the fall and spring was used to assess genetic variation in cold injury among geographic regions spanning the range of the species. Mean hardiness varied widely from –9 °C in early summer to below –70 °C in the winter. Trees from interior and northern regions were the most hardy in the fall, while trees from California were the least hardy. Geographic patterns of hardiness in the spring were reversed. Significant differences in cold injury among regions were detected on all dates except during the winter. Heritability was low to moderate for both the spring (h2 = 0.18) and the fall (h2 = 0.28), and genetic correlation was weak (rA = 0.18). Only spring cold injury was genetically correlated with date of needle flush (rA = 0.34). Mean cold injury in the fall was most closely correlated with mean temperature of the coldest month in the parental environment (r = 0.81). Whitebark pine is well adapted to the low temperatures of the harsh environments where it is found; however, regional variation indicates that moving seed for restoration purposes from areas with higher winter temperatures to colder environments may increase the chance of fall cold injury.

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Germination and Seed Viability of Norway Maple Cultivars, Hybrids, and Species

HortTechnology ◽

10.21273/hortsci.19.1.120 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 120-126 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Janine R. Conklin ◽

James C. Sellmer

Keyword(s):

Seed Viability ◽

Acer Platanoides ◽

Limited Information ◽

Invasive Potential ◽

Short Term ◽

Initial Attempt ◽

Tetrazolium Chloride ◽

Testing Procedures ◽

Viability Testing ◽

Norway Maple

Norway maple (Acer platanoides), 15 cultivars, and two hybrids were assessed for 3 years to evaluate seed germination (e.g., growth chamber, open landscape, and forest) and viability in an initial attempt to understand their invasive potential. Differences in germination were observed among the cultivars over the study. Low to moderate germination was found in growth chambers (0%–35%). Lower germination was found at open landscape (0%–23%) and forest floor sites (0%–18%). Inconsistent viability was observed among cultivars across the seed lots. Viability testing with tetrazolium chloride under two protocols revealed that seed viability was higher than germination and that viability alone was not a good estimate of germination potential. Differences in the accuracy of viability testing procedures were also observed. Short-term germination and viability studies provide only limited information to characterize the possible invasiveness of cultivars.

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Geographical Influences on Morphological Variation in Rubus ursinus Subsp. macropetalus

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.31.4.609b ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 31 (4) ◽

pp. 609b-609

Author(s):

Angela K. Anderson ◽

Chad E. Finn

Keyword(s):

Disease Resistance ◽

Morphological Variation ◽

Cold Hardiness ◽

Principal Component ◽

Common Garden ◽

Fruit Weight ◽

Fruit Traits ◽

Principal Component Analyses ◽

Autumn Leaf

Morphological variation was examined in 20 populations of Rubus ursinus subsp. macropetalus from British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon grown in a common garden. There was significant variability between and within populations for most traits studied. Principal component analyses separated populations along geographical clines for traits of horticultural significance. PC1 represented a general vigor component in all trials, and formed a negative correlation with elevation in four of five analyses (r = 0.60, 0.58, 0.50, 0.49; P < 0.05). Autumn leaf senescence tended to increase from west to east and with elevation. With higher elevation, there was a tendency for fruit weight to decrease, for later vegetative budbreak and fruit ripening, and for a shorter budbreak to first flower interval. From north to south, budbreak became somewhat earlier, cane spot susceptibility decreased, and budbreak to first flower interval increased. Characterization of this species will assist breeders to identify possible sources of cold hardiness, disease resistance, improved vigor, and acceptable fruit traits for the improvement of cultivated trailing blackberry.

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Trait Plasticity among Invasive Populations of the Ant Technomyrmex brunneus in Japan

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11092702 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (9) ◽

pp. 2702

Author(s):

Diyona Putri ◽

Masanori Yokozawa ◽

Toshiro Yamanaka ◽

Adam L. Cronin

Keyword(s):

Invasive Species ◽

Ecological Interactions ◽

Invasive Potential ◽

Invasive Ants ◽

Important Species ◽

Island Populations ◽

Trait Plasticity ◽

Ecological Dominance ◽

Different Characteristics ◽

Tramp Ant

Characters in invasive populations often differ from those in the native range, and the ability to express different characters may enhance invasive potential. Ants are among the most pervasive and damaging invasive species, by virtue of their transportability and broad-ranging ecological interactions. Their success is often attributed to the ability to exhibit different characteristics in invasive populations, including the formation of large, unicolonial associations (‘supercolonies’). It remains unclear, however, if such characteristics are a product or cause of the ecological dominance of invasive ants, and the advancement of our understanding has likely been restrained by the fact that studies to date have focused on a few globally important species with well-established invasions. In this study, we take advantage of an ongoing invasion of the tramp ant Technomyrmex brunneus in Japan to assess trait plasticity in the invasive range of this species. We find evidence for plasticity in social structure among island populations, with a supercolony evident on one of the three islands studied. Interestingly, we found no evidence of lower genetic diversity in this population, though natural isotope data indicate it was operating at a lower trophic level than other populations. These findings add weight to arguments that invasive species may benefit from the capacity to adaptively mould themselves to new ecological contexts.

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Cold hardiness in coastal, montane, and inland populations of Populus trichocarpa

Canadian Journal of Forest Research ◽

10.1139/x99-195 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

pp. 91-99 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Thaddeus McCamant ◽

R Alan Black

Keyword(s):

Pacific Northwest ◽

Freezing Tolerance ◽

Laboratory Tests ◽

Cold Hardiness ◽

Populus Trichocarpa ◽

Hybrid Poplar ◽

Field Tests ◽

Common Garden ◽

Freezing Injury ◽

Black Cottonwood

Freezing tolerance was studied in laboratory and field tests using black cottonwood, Populus trichocarpa Torr. & Gray, clones collected from eight populations within the coastal, montane, and inland regions of the Pacific Northwest. Freezing tolerance varied among different populations and was dependent on growing environment. Clones from coastal populations grown in a coastal common garden (Puyallup, Wash.) had 50% less injury in laboratory tests compared with the same clones grown in an inland common garden (Pullman, Wash.). In contrast, clones from inland populations grown in an inland common garden had 50% less injury in laboratory tests compared with the same clones grown in a coastal common garden. Freezing tolerance also varied between coastal populations. In field tests at the inland common garden, clones from inland and montane populations had less freezing injury compared with clones from coastal populations. Leaves on 50% of the clones with coastal origins were killed by the first fall frosts compared with 25% for clones with inland origins. Subsequently, 50% of the coastal clones exhibited winter injury following the winters of 1993-1994 and 1994-1995 at the inland common garden. Clones from inland populations exhibited little or no winter injury. The specific tissues injured during freezing tests varied among clones. Populus trichocarpa is a species offering considerable variation for selection to local environments, and therefore, the source of material should be an important consideration in hybrid poplar breeding programs.

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