Open    Access



Seed Bank of Amorpha fruticosa L. on Some Ruderal Sites in Serbia



Author(s)

Milan Blagojević¹, Bojan Konstantinović¹, Nataša Samardžić¹, Aleksandar Kurjakov² and Saša Orlović³

Full-Text PDF XML     1001 Views

DOI:10.17265/2161-6264/2015.02B.006

1. Department for Environmental and Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad 21000, Serbia
2. Department of Pomology, Viticulture, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad 21000, Serbia
3. Institute of Lowland Forestry and Environment, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad 21000, Serbia

Amorpha fruticosa L. (Fabaceae), known as indigo bush, false indigo bush, false indigo and desert false indigo, is deciduous shrub (1-6 m tall). The woody weed species A. fruticosa has a high environmental adaptability and is present in different environmental conditions. In Vojvodina region (Northern Serbia), it is mostly present near irrigation channels and river banks, especially in alluvial or marshy areas. Since A. fruticosa is continually spreading near river banks, the aim of research was to determine seed bank composition near the Danube River. In 2014, soil sampling was performed at localities with high population of A. fruticosa (3-4 plants at age over two years and 10-14 plants at age 1-2 years). Soil samples were taken from two localities (Futog and Šangaj) with alluvial sandy soil and chernozem near the Danube River. Each sample was sieved through a system of copper sieves of various diameters. After the separation of seeds from samples, they were identified. Significant presence of A. fruticosa seeds (1,914 seeds/m²) was established in a layer of 0-10 cm. In the same soil layer, the significant presence of seeds of Stellaria media (L.) Vill. and Urtica dioica L. were also established. Seeds of A. fruticosa were not found in soil layers 10-20 cm and 20-30 cm. The invasive weed species A. fruticosa produces a large number of seeds in two cycles. The majority of the seeds stay in the upper soil layer, being dispersed by water (hydrochory).

Amorpha fruticosa L., soil seed bank, invasive species, seed dispersion.