Potential phytotoxic and shading effects of invasive Fallopia (Polygonaceae) taxa on the germination of dominant native species

Abstract

We assessed, under laboratory conditions, whether there are phytotoxic effects of the three Fallopia congeners on seed germination of three target species: two native species commonly growing in habitats that are often invaded by Fallopia taxa (Urtica dioica, Calamagrostis epigejos), and Lepidium sativum, a species commonly used in allelopathic bioassays as a control.

Keywords

• Allelopathy
• canopy shading
• leaf and rhizome extracts
• light regimes
• phytotoxicity
• plant invasions
• Reynoutria