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9 October 2019 Emergence of garden spurge (Euphorbia hirta) and large crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis) in response to different physical properties and depths of common mulch materials
Debalina Saha, S. Christopher Marble, Brian Pearson, Héctor Pérez, Gregory MacDonald, Dennis Odero
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Abstract

Greenhouse and outdoor container experiments were conducted to determine garden spurge and large crabgrass emergence when seeds were placed either on top of or below three different mulch materials [pine bark (PB), hardwood (HW), or pine straw (PS)] applied at five depths (0, 1.3, 2.5, 5.1, and 10.2 cm). To elucidate mulch characteristics that contributed to weed control, photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) was recorded underneath each mulch layer, moisture retention was monitored for 24 h following irrigation, and particle size was determined using standard soil sieves. HW reduced PAR (97%) more than did PB (90%) or PS (92%) at 1.3 cm, but few or no differences were noted between mulches at greater mulch depths. HW also contained the highest percentage of small particles and consequently retained more water (29%), than PB (14%) or PS (22%) 24 h following a simulated irrigation event. Emergence of large crabgrass and garden spurge was consistently greater when seeds were placed on top of the mulch, compared to seeds placed below. Emergence of both species also tended to respond to increasing depth in a quadratic manner, indicating that once a critical level of mulch was applied (2.5 to 5 cm), further reductions in weed emergence would not be observed, at least over the short term (12 wk). PB and PS tended to provide a greater reduction in emergence of both species compared to HW. This research also indicates that larger particle materials such as PB or PS would be advantageous because of their ability to suppress weed emergence regardless of seed position.

Nomenclature: Garden spurge; Euphorbia hirta L.; large crabgrass; Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop

© Weed Science Society of America, 2019.
Debalina Saha, S. Christopher Marble, Brian Pearson, Héctor Pérez, Gregory MacDonald, and Dennis Odero "Emergence of garden spurge (Euphorbia hirta) and large crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis) in response to different physical properties and depths of common mulch materials," Weed Technology 34(2), 172-179, (9 October 2019). https://doi.org/10.1017/wet.2019.88
Received: 23 April 2019; Accepted: 4 September 2019; Published: 9 October 2019
KEYWORDS
hardwood
landscape
Particle size
pine bark
pine straw
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