Masters Theses

Date of Award

5-1992

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Landscape Architecture

Major Professor

Donald B. Williams

Committee Members

Brian Corr, Ed Clebsch

Abstract

The principal objective of this research was to determine if Schizachyrium scopariu (Michx.) Nash (little bluestem) exhibited any allelopathic influence on the germination of selected weed and wildflower seed. Experiments were designed to test the effects of leachates, mulches, and teas, collected or made from plant parts of S. scoparium. Germination tests were conducted using petri dishes for leachates and teas. Some tests involved germinating seed on sand covered with different mulches of S. scoparium clippings. Another test involved sowing seed in pots which had S. scoparium plants growing in them. All results were analyzed using ANOVA and LSD.

Plants of Schizachyrium scoparium were grown in glazed crockery pots that were fitted so leachates from the plant roots could be collected. The leachates were used to moisten filter paper disks upon which test seed were placed. There was no significant difference in germination due to treatment.

Little bluestem plants were barerooted, cutup and sorted as inflorescences, leaves, and roots, placed in paper bags and air-dried. Samples of each tissue type were weighed (12 g) and then soaked in 900 ml of distilled water for twenty-four hours. The resulting teas were used in petri dish germination tests. The tests involved four species, none of which were significantly affected by the little bluestem teas.

Mulches made from the clippings of S. scoparium were placed over the top of seed which had been sown in crocks filled with sand. Both dried and fresh little bluestem material was used for mulch. Significant inhibition was observed with all test species and bluestem mulches. The fresh clippings were more inhibitory than dried mulches in three out of four species tested.

Although the majority of experiments did not support the hypothesis that Schizachyrium scoparium was allelopathic the results of the mulch test could not be ignored. Further experimentation needs to be conducted in order to verify the results obtained.

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