Berríos-Rivera, María Y.

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    Evaluación de biomasa y contenido de almidón en yerba venezolana (Paspalum fasciculatum)
    (2017) Berríos-Rivera, María Y.; Robles-Vázquez, Wilfredo; College of Agricultural Sciences; O’Hallorans Castillo, Julia; Ortiz Colón, Guillermo; Department of Crops and Agro-Environmental Sciences; Orama Meléndez, Rebeca
    The Mexican crowngrass (Paspalum fasciculatum) is considered an invasive species in the humid zones of Puerto Rico. Little is known about its growth and development in colonized ground, information that is important to establish management programs. Two experiments were established at the Agricultural Experiment Stations in Gurabo and Corozal. For the first experiment two naturally colonized grounds were chosen for documentation of the seasonal fluctuations of the aboveground and belowground biomass of this weed and to determine changes in starch content. Each experimental site consisted of approximately one acre naturally colonized by Mexican crowngrass. Ten random samples of the aboveground and belowground biomass were collected monthly during July 2013 to July 2015 using a 0.25 m2 quadrant. The amount of aboveground and belowground starch was determined using extraction through the hydrolysis enzyme method. In February 2014, results in Gurabo showed an average maximum aboveground biomass of 2,158 and 1,117 g DM/m², respectively. In Corozal the average maximum aboveground biomass was 1,464 g DM/m², in June 2014. The maximum belowground biomass of 1,326 g DM/m² was achieved in February 2014. In Gurabo the starch content fluctuated between 0.12 % to 18 % in the aboveground tissue, and from 0.19 % to 26 % in the belowground tissue. In Corozal the starch content in the aboveground tissue fluctuated from 0.38 % to 21 % and in the belowground tissue from 0.41 % to 24 %. A second experiment was conducted at the Agricultural Experiment Station in Gurabo during 2014 and 2015. Glyphosate and mechanized cut were evaluated on their own and in combination on Mexican crowngrass. Samples of aboveground and belowground biomass were collected 0 days after treatment (DAT), 56 DAT, and 112 DAT using a 0.09 m² quadrant. The treatments that appear to be more effective in controlling Mexican crowngrass were those that combined the glyphosate up to twice within 112 DAT (p=0.01) and mechanized cut up 0 DAT, plus glyphosate at 56 DAT (p=0.05). Those combinations reduced aboveground biomass and starch content avoiding futures outbreaks. By understanding these data and considering the life cycle of the plant, we can infer that starch accumulates in greater quantities in the aboveground tissue of the Mexican crowngrass. This suggests that management practices of this weed should be focused on the removal of aboveground biomass, considering a combination of methods evaluated to obtain more effective management of Mexican crowngrass.