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Title: Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinenese) in an elevated CO2 environment

Author
item Smith, Katy
item Runion, George
item Prior, Stephen - Steve
item Price, Andrew
item Rogers Jr, Hugo
item Torbert, Henry - Allen

Submitted to: Botany Research Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2008
Publication Date: 6/21/2008
Citation: Smith, K.E., Runion, G.B., Prior, S.A., Price, A.J., Rogers Jr, H.H., Torbert III, H.A. 2008. Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinenese) in an elevated CO2 environment. Botany Research Journal. 1(2):43-48.

Interpretive Summary: Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense Lour.) is an invasive weed currently threatening ecosystems in the southeastern United States and along its eastern seaboard. Control of this weed has generally been most effective if caught early enough to pull or dig out seedlings, meaning that effective control is done with young or immature plants. Chinese privet, produced from seed, were grown at either 375 µmol mol-1 (ambient) or 575 µmol mol-1 (elevated) CO2 in open top field chambers. Chinese privet seedlings grown under high CO2 had greater numbers of branches and tended to have larger diameters and greater total root length. Increases in component part dry weights under elevated CO2 resulted in significantly greater total plant biomass (42%). Root dry weight was significantly greater under CO2 enriched conditions (44%); however, CO2 did not effect root to shoot ratio nor allocation of biomass among plant organs. These finding indicate that Chinese privet will become a more troublesome weed as atmospheric CO2 concentration continues to rise and suggests that early control may become an even more important issue.

Technical Abstract: Chinese privet (Ligustrum sinense Lour.) is an invasive weed currently threatening ecosystems in the southeastern United States and along its eastern seaboard. Control of this weed has generally been most effective if caught early enough to pull or dig out seedlings, meaning that effective control is done with young or immature plants. Chinese privet, produced from seed, were grown at either 375 µmol mol-1 (ambient) or 575 µmol mol-1 (elevated) CO2 in open top field chambers. Chinese privet seedlings grown under high CO2 had greater numbers of branches and tended to have larger diameters and greater total root length. Increases in component part dry weights under elevated CO2 resulted in significantly greater total plant biomass (42%). Root dry weight was significantly greater under CO2 enriched conditions (44%); however, CO2 did not effect root to shoot ratio nor allocation of biomass among plant organs. These finding indicate that Chinese privet will become a more troublesome weed as atmospheric CO2 concentration continues to rise and suggests that early control may become an even more important issue.