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Strawberry, black medic (Medicago lupulina), and Carolina geranium (Geranium carolinianum) growth under light-limiting conditions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 March 2019

Shaun M. Sharpe
Affiliation:
Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Wimauma, FL, USA
Jialin Yu
Affiliation:
Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Wimauma, FL, USA
Nathan S. Boyd*
Affiliation:
Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Wimauma, FL, USA
*
Author for correspondence: Nathan S. Boyd, Email: nsboyd@ufl.edu
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Abstract

Broadleaf infestations interfere with Florida strawberry production. Broadleaf POST herbicide options applied atop the crop are limited to synthetic auxins and not suitable for conventional multi-cropping and organic systems. Reducing light access and interception during weed emergence may reduce interference. Light-limited growth of two problematic broadleaves, black medic and Carolina geranium, and the most commonly grown strawberry cultivar (‘Florida Radiance’), were examined in the greenhouse. The experimental design was completely randomized, and the trial was repeated. Black medic was susceptible to reductions in incoming solar radiation, wherein reducing the daily maximum available light from 331 to 94 µmol m−2 s−1 reduced leaf number and area by 93% and 89%, respectively. Carolina geranium growth was less susceptible to reduced-light treatments, with leaf area and number each reduced by 66% when light was reduced from 331 to 94 µmol m−2 s−1. Belowground, Carolina geranium biomass was similarly reduced between the 331 and 94 µmol m−2 s−1 treatments. Strawberry was relatively tolerant to shading at 155 µmol m−2 s−1, but further reductions did increase mortality. Shade-induced weed suppression is a promising alternative strategy for conventional and organic Florida strawberry production. Targeted application during periods of weed emergence may play a role within integrated pest management strategies. This approach is most feasible for black medic management but may be useful for Carolina geranium in concert with other strategies.

Information

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© Weed Science Society of America, 2019 
Figure 0

Figure 1. Container-grown (A) strawberry, (B) black medic, and (C) Carolina geranium biomass in response to varying light levels in greenhouse experiments at Balm, FL, in 2018. Biomass was taken at 14 wk after trial initiation. Instantaneous photosynthetic photon flux density was measured on December 8, 2017, at solar noon with no cloud cover inside the greenhouse. The average reduction for incoming radiation within each shading structure was then used to calculate the available photosynthetically active radiation. Vertical bars are raw means, and error bars represent the standard error of the mean. Different letters between treatments (light levels) within either aboveground or belowground biomass indicate a significant difference using Tukey’s honest significant difference test (α = 0.05).

Figure 1

Figure 2. Container-grown (A) strawberry, (B) black medic, and (C) Carolina geranium leaf area in response to varying light levels in greenhouse experiments at Balm, FL, in 2018. Leaf area was taken at 14 wk after trial initiation. Instantaneous photosynthetic photon flux density was measured on December 8, 2017, at solar noon with no cloud cover inside the greenhouse. The average reduction for incoming radiation within each shading structure was then used to calculate the available photosynthetically active radiation. Vertical bars are raw means, and error bars represent the standard error of the mean. Different letters between treatments (light levels) indicate a significant difference using Tukey’s honest significant difference test (α = 0.05).

Figure 2

Figure 3. Container-grown strawberry, black medic, and Carolina geranium leaf number in response to varying light levels in greenhouse experiments at Balm, FL, in 2018. Leaf number was taken at 14 wk after trial initiation. Instantaneous photosynthetic photon flux density was measured on December 8, 2017, at solar noon with no cloud cover inside the greenhouse. The average reduction for incoming radiation within each shading structure was then used to calculate the available photosynthetically active radiation. Vertical bars are raw means, and error bars represent the standard error of the mean. Different letters between treatments (light levels) within each species indicate a significant difference using Tukey’s honest significant difference test (α = 0.05).