Suppressing Japanese Stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) with the Grass-Specific Herbicide Sethoxydim

AbstractHabitat suitability and disturbance can shape the early stages of biological invasions in important ways. Much that we know about habitat suitability and invasion originates from point-in-time studies, which characterize invasive plant abundance and associated site characteristics. In our study, we tested the influence of habitat suitability by creating small-scale invasions in a range of environments. Seeds of the invasive annual grass Japanese stiltgrass [Microstegium vimineum (Trin.) A. Camus] were planted into six environments in a deciduous forest in central Pennsylvania, and patch growth was monitored for 4 yr. Each of the 30 sites included a subplot subjected to litter disturbance at time of planting. This litter disturbance led to increased seedling recruitment only in the first 2 yr. Although patches were generally larger in wetland and roadside habitats, site influence was highly variable. Environmental variables (soil moisture, ammonium–N, pH, and plant species richness) measured in each plot were better predictors of population success than broad habitat categories. We conclude that risk assessment for species such as M. vimineum should focus not on habitat types but on areas likely to experience the physical changes that release M. vimineum populations.

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Leaf Blight Disease on the Invasive Grass Microstegium vimineum Caused by a Bipolaris sp.

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis-94-7-0807 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 94 (7) ◽

pp. 807-811 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Nathan M. Kleczewski ◽

S. Luke Flory

Keyword(s):

Native Species ◽

Disease Incidence ◽

Its Region ◽

Microstegium Vimineum ◽

Growth Chamber ◽

Invasive Grass ◽

Japanese Stiltgrass ◽

Initial Symptoms ◽

Pure Cultures ◽

Blight Disease

In 2009, a previously undescribed disease was found on the nonnative invasive annual grass Microstegium vimineum (Japanese stiltgrass). Diseased plants exhibited foliar lesions, wilting, and in some cases, death of entire plants. We identified the causal agent as a Bipolaris sp. similar to B. zeicola. We observed spores and associated structures characteristic of Bipolaris spp. growing from leaf lesions on field collected plants. Pure cultures of the fungus were made and spore suspensions were applied to laboratory-reared M. vimineum seedlings in growth chamber and greenhouse experiments. Initial symptoms appeared on seedlings in the growth chamber experiment within 72 h of inoculation, and seedlings exhibited characteristic lesions within 10 days. The fungus was reisolated from lesions, and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region was sequenced to confirm its identity. In the greenhouse experiment, inoculated plants displayed characteristic lesions, and relatively greater spore loads increased disease incidence. Disease reduced seed head production by 40% compared to controls. This is the first report of a Bipolaris sp. causing disease on invasive M. vimineum. Following further analysis, including assays with co-occurring native species, this Bipolaris sp. may be considered as a biocontrol agent for invasive M. vimineum.

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Regional and Local Genetic Variation in Japanese Stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum)

Invasive Plant Science and Management ◽

10.1614/ipsm-d-15-00055.1 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 96-111 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Theresa M. Culley ◽

Cynthia D. Huebner ◽

Ari Novy

Keyword(s):

Genetic Variation ◽

Forest Edge ◽

Microstegium Vimineum ◽

Eastern United States ◽

Long Distance ◽

Japanese Stiltgrass ◽

Genetic Diversity And Structure ◽

Interior Forest ◽

Light Gaps ◽

Local Dispersal

Nonnative M. vimineum has been expanding rapidly in the eastern United States, where it can negatively affect plant communities. Locally, the species is assumed to spread from roadsides into nearby forests, where it can form dense populations after disturbances, especially in light gaps. Using microsatellite markers, we quantified patterns of genetic variation and structure among populations at nine sites in West Virginia. We then examined patterns of local dispersal within each population, focusing on subpopulations along the roadside, those coalescing nearby along the forest edge, and subpopulations in the interior forest. We found that levels of genetic variation of M. vimineum were relatively low overall across populations but with genetic structure present among populations (Fst = 0.60). Within populations, subpopulations along the roadside were genetically variable, containing 4 to 22 unique, multilocus genotypes. Many of these genotypes were also identified in the adjacent forest, consistent with local, diffusive spread from the roadway. However, several genotypes in the interior forest were unique to the population, indicating that dispersal from other sites may also occur. Overall, it appears that genetic diversity and structure in M. vimineum reflects a variety of processes, including localized dispersal and long-distance migration.

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Chromosome level genome assembly and annotation of highly invasive Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum)

10.1101/2021.09.16.460655 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Dhanushya Ramachandran ◽

Cynthia D Huebner ◽

Mark Daly ◽

Jasmine Haimovitz ◽

Thomas Swale ◽

...

Keyword(s):

De Novo ◽

Duplication Event ◽

Microstegium Vimineum ◽

Ltr Retrotransposon ◽

Ltr Retrotransposons ◽

Protein Coding ◽

Japanese Stiltgrass ◽

Wide Range ◽

Natural Resource Managers ◽

Chromosome Level

The invasive Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) affects a wide range of ecosystems and threatens biodiversity across the eastern USA. However, the mechanisms underlying rapid adaptation, plasticity, and epigenetics in the invasive range are largely unknown. We present a chromosome-level assembly for M. vimineum to investigate genome dynamics, evolution, adaptation, and the genomics of phenotypic plasticity. We generated a 1.12 Gb genome with scaffold N50 length of 53.44 Mb respectively, taking a de novo assembly approach that combined PacBio and Dovetail Genomics Omni-C sequencing. The assembly contains 23 pseudochromosomes, representing 99.96% of the genome. BUSCO assessment indicated that 80.3% of Poales gene groups are present in the assembly. The genome is predicted to contain 39,604 protein-coding genes, of which 26,288 are functionally annotated. Furthermore, 66.68% of the genome is repetitive, of which unclassified (35.63%) and long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons (26.90%) are predominant. Similar to other grasses, Gypsy (41.07%) and Copia (32%) are the most abundant LTR-retrotransposon families. The majority of LTR-retrotransposons are derived from a significant expansion in the past 1-2 million years, suggesting the presence of relatively young LTR-retrotransposon lineages. We find corroborating evidence from Ks plots for a stiltgrass-specific duplication event, distinct from the more ancient grass-specific duplication event. The assembly and annotation of M. vimineum will serve as an essential genomic resource facilitating studies of the invasion process, the history and consequences of polyploidy in grasses, and provides a crucial tool for natural resource managers.

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Control of Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) in golf course natural areas

Weed Technology ◽

10.1017/wet.2020.44 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 34 (5) ◽

pp. 776-778

Author(s):

Josh R. Weaver ◽

Philip J. Brown ◽

Lambert B. McCarty ◽

Nathaniel Gambrell

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Invasive Species ◽

The United States ◽

Microstegium Vimineum ◽

Golf Course ◽

Future Research ◽

Japanese Stiltgrass ◽

Growing Seasons ◽

Forested Areas

AbstractJapanese stiltgrass is regarded as one of the most troublesome invasive species in the United States. It is commonly found invading forested areas; however, more recently it has been noted to be invading golf course roughs and out-of-play areas. The purpose of this study was to evaluate POST herbicide control of Japanese stiltgrass in golf course and highly maintained turfgrass facilities. None of the treatments provided >80% Japanese stiltgrass control 2 wk after treatment (WAT). At 4 WAT >80% Japanese stiltgrass control was observed with MSMA, MSMA + metribuzin, amicarbazone, and sethoxydim, whereas metsulfuron, pinoxaden, and imazapic provided minimum control. By 8 WAT, MSMA, MSMA + metribuzin, amicarbazone, and sethoxydim provided >98% control, whereas quinclorac, metsulfuron, pinoxaden, and imazapic provided no visible control. Thiencarbazone-methyl + foramsulfuron + halosulfuron-methyl, and sulfentrazone provided limited (≤60%) control. This study indicates that POST control of Japanese stiltgrass can be achieved with MSMA, MSMA + metribuzin, amicarbazone, and sethoxydim. Future research should include long-term control over multiple growing seasons, repeat applications of herbicides, and evaluation of herbicides in combination for increased and longer-term Japanese stiltgrass control.

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Evidence for recent evolution in an invasive species,Microstegium vimineum, Japanese stiltgrass

Weed Research ◽

10.1111/wre.12138 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 55 (3) ◽

pp. 260-267 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

L H Ziska ◽

M B Tomecek ◽

M Valerio ◽

J P Thompson

Keyword(s):

Invasive Species ◽

Microstegium Vimineum ◽

Japanese Stiltgrass

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Japanese Stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) Germination Pattern and its Impact on Control Strategies1

Journal of Environmental Horticulture ◽

10.24266/0738-2898-37.3.101 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 37 (3) ◽

pp. 101-107

Author(s):

Geoffrey Payne ◽

Jim Evans ◽

Jeffrey Derr ◽

Ethan Murdock

Keyword(s):

Treatment Options ◽

Field Trials ◽

Virginia Tech ◽

Microstegium Vimineum ◽

Single Application ◽

Herbicide Application ◽

Japanese Stiltgrass ◽

The Third ◽

Control Option ◽

Made In

Abstract Field trials were conducted by Virginia Master Naturalists to determine the germination period for Japanese stiltgrass and its impact on timing of postemergence herbicide applications. Germination rates declined from April to June, with no germination seen after mid-June. Glyphosate applications in early May significantly reduced Japanese stiltgrass cover that month, but post-treatment germination resulted in approximately 25% cover by October, with 78% cover seen in untreated plots. However, no Japanese stiltgrass was observed in October when glyphosate was applied in either the third week of June or the third week of July. A single application of glyphosate was effective for Japanese stiltgrass control if applications are made in June after new germination had ceased, verified by multi-year herbicide field trials. Field trials conducted by Virginia Tech showed preemergence applications of prodiamine reduced Japanese stiltgrass stand from 30 to 94%, depending on rate and timing, but even in the most effective treatment there was still at least 19% cover by August. Prodiamine treatments that utilized May applications were more effective for crabgrass (Digitaria spp.) control than for Japanese stiltgrass, supporting the earlier germination pattern for Japanese stiltgrass. Inclusion of this work in this paper provides a more complete picture of the treatment options for Japanese stiltgrass. A timed postemergence herbicide application may be a better control option for this weed than use of a preemergence herbicide application. Index words: herbicide application, invasive plants, weed control. Chemicals used in this study: Glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine)], prodiamine (2,6-Dinitro-N,N-dipropyl-4-(trifluoromethyl)-1,3-benzenediamine). Species used in this study: Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum (Trin.) A Camus.).

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