Differential Growth of Two Common Groundsel (Senecio vulgaris) Biotypes

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Abstract
Comparative growth, development, and resource allocation of triazine - susceptible and triazine - resistant biotypes of common groundsel (Senecio vulgaris L.), grown under two light regimes, were studied over a 7 - week period. Dry-matter production, height, number of leaves, and leaf area of the susceptible biotype were greater than those of the resistant biotype at all harvests under both light regimes. Root/shoot ratios were lower in the resistant than in the susceptible biotype under high light. Lower values for these parameters in resistant plants are due to lowered photosynthetic capacity, which limits growth and lowers relative root production. Net assimilation rate (NAR) was lower in resistant than susceptible plants when grown under high light, but mean leaf area ratio over a harvest interval (L) of resistant plants was higher than that of susceptible plants under high light. Relative growth rate (RGR) was higher for susceptible plants before day 42 and higher for resistant plants after day 42 under high light. A lower plastochron index (PI) of resistant plants up to 5 weeks old, relative to susceptible plants of the same age, suggests that, when grown under high light, resistant plants are developmentally at least 2 days behind susceptible plants. Shading lowered dry-weight production, height, number of leaves, leaf area, NAR, RGR, PI and root/shoot ratios of both biotypes. Values for these growth parameters for susceptible plants were similar to or larger than for resistant plants when grown under low light. In both biotypes, resource allocation patterns and L shifted towards increased shoot and leaf production in response to shading.