Horsenettle (Solarium carolinense L.) Diffusion through Rotary Tilling in Invaded Cornfields

Abstract

Response in the growth of horsenettle with rotary tilling and chemical treatment was examined on its small root fragments planted in small containers and cornfield. The number of the shoot appearance was also plotted for 4 years in the cornfield after the weed was experimentally planted. The rotary tilling induced to spread lots of about 10cm long root fragments around 15cm depth in the soil. From over 1 cm long fragments planted in the small container new shoots appeared above the ground within 30 days. Chemical treatment of atrazin-metolachlor (3/ha^<-1>) had no effects on shoot number and regrowth of that weed root fragments. The root system which extends from root fragment planted in the cornfield has grown to 7g dry weight and its tap root showed about 120cm length at the corn harvesting time. Only three root fragments planted in the cornfield increased to 21 and 218 shoots year by year as the cornfield was rotary tilled with a rotary cultivator every year before seeding. Over 900 shoots of the plants were counted after four years.