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Differential belowground allelopathic effects of leaf and root of Mikania micrantha

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Abstract

This study evaluates the relative contributions of leaves and roots to the belowground allelopathic effects of Mikania micrantha. The hypothesis that leaves contribute more to the allelopathic effect than roots was experimentally tested. We assessed the allelopathic effects of aqueous extracts from Mikania leaves and roots on the seed germination and seedling growth of two co-occurring woody plants in southern China, Lagerstroemia indica L. and Robinia pseudoacacia L. The results showed that the aqueous extracts from Mikania leaves and roots had inhibitory effects on the woody species. Allelopathic activity depended on the concentration of the extracts, target species, and the extract sources (i.e., leaves vs. roots of Mikania). Leaf extract showed stronger allelopathic effects than root extract on germination percentage, initial germination time, speed of germination, and shoot height; while root extract had greater allelopathic effects on roots than leaf extract. The latter phenomenon might greatly promote the invasion success of Mikania due to more direct and effective allelopathy of root. Our results suggest that allelopathy of root extract on belowground biomass might be greater than that of leaf extract for some species in contrast allelopathy of leaf extract on belowground biomass might also be greater than that of root extract for other species, at least for their effects on root growth of the target species.

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Acknowledgments

We acknowledge Professors Shichu Liang, and Jihuai Wang, Dr. Qijie Zan, Mrs. Guirong Li, and Mr. Hongli Zheng for their sincere support in our experiment; Drs. Feihai Yu and Daniel Prati for their sincere help in statistical analysis; and Dr. Susan Carstenn for editorial comments. We also sincerely thank two anonymous reviewers for making constructive comments on the manuscript. This study was financially supported by the grant “Oversea Distinguished Scholars of CAS” (No. 58246G1215).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Vegetation and Environmental Change, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 20 Xiangshan Nanxincun, Beijing, Haidian District, 100093, People’s Republic of China

    Ai-Ping Wu, Hua Yu, Shu-Qin Gao, Zhen-Ying Huang, Wei-Ming He, Shi-Li Miao & Ming Dong

  2. Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, People’s Republic of China

    Ai-Ping Wu, Hua Yu & Shu-Qin Gao

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  1. Ai-Ping Wu
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  2. Hua Yu
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  3. Shu-Qin Gao
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  4. Zhen-Ying Huang
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  5. Wei-Ming He
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  6. Shi-Li Miao
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  7. Ming Dong
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Correspondence to Shi-Li Miao or Ming Dong.

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Communicated by R. Matyssek.

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Wu, AP., Yu, H., Gao, SQ. et al. Differential belowground allelopathic effects of leaf and root of Mikania micrantha . Trees 23, 11–17 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-008-0249-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-008-0249-0

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