AUTHOR=Yair Yifat , Goldwasser Yaakov , Sibony Moshe , Eizenberg Hanan , Rubin Baruch 

TITLE=Differential Germination and Growth Response to Temperature of Three Ambrosia Weed Species—Implications for Future Spread

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Agronomy

VOLUME=2

YEAR=2020

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/agronomy/articles/10.3389/fagro.2020.573860

DOI=10.3389/fagro.2020.573860

ISSN=2673-3218

ABSTRACT=<p>Three main <italic>Ambrosia</italic> species (Ragweed) grow in Israel; the most abundant invasive <italic>Ambrosia confertiflora</italic> DC, whereas <italic>A. artemisiifolia</italic> L. and <italic>A. tenuifolia</italic> Spreng., are of restricted distribution. The present research was aimed to study the effect of temperatures regimes on the development and growth of these <italic>Ambrosia</italic> species, to elucidate the environmental conditions and plant traits that affect their growth and infestation patterns. All three <italic>Ambrosia</italic> species germinate best in light from the soil surface with no prerequisite of a stratification period. <italic>A. confertiflora</italic> seed emergence is inhibited at high temperature regimes (28/34°C). <italic>A</italic>. <italic>artemisiifolia</italic> at low temperature regimes (10/16°C), while <italic>A. tenuifolia</italic> is less affected by the temperature regimes. <italic>A. confertiflora</italic> plant height increases with increasing temperatures, and at lower temperatures develops a rosette. Root and rhizome biomass were less affected by the different temperatures regimes; <italic>A</italic>. <italic>artemisiifolia</italic> aboveground mass was not affected by temperature regimes while <italic>A. tenuifolia</italic> aboveground mass was reduced only at lower temperatures. <italic>A. confertiflora</italic> fast invasion and establishment are due to the combined effects of prolific seed dispersal, rapid sprouting and growth, and its phenotypic plasticity.</p>