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- Title
Impact of the pathogen Pyrenophora semeniperda on Bromus tectorum seedbank dynamics in North American cold deserts.
- Authors
Meyer, S. E.; Quinney, D.; Nelson, D. L.; Weaver, J.
- Abstract
Bromus tectorum is a dominant winter annual weed in cold deserts of western North America. We followed patterns of seed carry-over and abundance of the pathogen Pyrenophora semeniperda over 5 years at B. tectorum-dominated shadscale ( Atriplex confertifolia) and sagebrush ( Artemisia tridentata) sites in southern Idaho. We hypothesised that more seeds could potentially carry over at the drier shadscale site because of minimal autumn precipitation, but that P. semeniperda, a pathogen that primarily kills dormant seeds, would have more impact at the drier site, where a higher density of dormant seeds would likely be present in the early spring seedbank. Successful first-year seed carry-over was higher in years with below-average autumn precipitation. It was lower at the shadscale site than at the sagebrush site (9% vs.16%). The number of seeds killed during incubation by P. semeniperda averaged three times higher at the drier site and the number of field-killed seeds averaged almost five times higher. This suggests that pathogen-related mortality caused the greater decrease in seed carry-over at the drier site. Mortality risk increased dramatically with seed age. This climate–pathogen interaction apparently limits B. tectorum seedbank carry-over in cold deserts to 3 years or less. Pyrenophora semeniperda shows potential as a biocontrol agent for B. tectorum in these habitats.
- Subjects
IDAHO; CHEATGRASS brome; WEEDS; PATHOGENIC microorganisms; PYRENOPHORA; SHADSCALE saltbush
- Publication
Weed Research, 2007, Vol 47, Issue 1, p54
- ISSN
0043-1737
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/j.1365-3180.2007.00537.x