Phenology of curlyleaf pondweed (Potamogeton crispus L.)in the southeastern US: a two year mesocosm study

Authors: TURNAGE, GRAY - Mississippi State University; WERSAL, RYAN - Lonza Corporation; Madsen, John

Submitted to: Journal of Aquatic Plant Management
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/12/2017
Publication Date: 7/1/2017
Citation: Turnage, G., Wersal, R.M., Madsen, J.D. 2017. Phenology of curlyleaf pondweed (Potamogeton crispus L.)in the southeastern US: a two year mesocosm study. Journal of Aquatic Plant Management. 56:35-38.

Interpretive Summary: Our analysis of the phenology of curlyleaf pondweed in the south indicates that there is no single time period in which herbicide treatments will stop turion production, but management will require repeated treatments much like management of Eurasian watermilfoil, or the use of long-residence systemic herbicides.

Technical Abstract: Curlyleaf pondweed is a widespread invasive aquatic plant in the northern United States and southern Canada. While the phenology and life history of this species has been studied for several northern tier states, the phenology has not been examined in the south. We sampled curlyleaf pondweed each month for two years grown in mesocosm tanks in Mississippi. We found that, while curlyleaf pondweed is best described as a winter herbaceous perennial in the north, over summering as a turion resting phase, in the south it would be best described as evergreen perennial with no resting phase. Turion production is fairly continuous in the spring and summer. This change in life history will require a new approach for managing curlyleaf pondweed populations in the south.