[APWG] early-flowering stiltgrass

[ForestRuss at aol.com]

Angie and others:
 
This week we began our annual treatment of stiltgrass and yesterday, August 
 15, I found stiltgrass in seed.
 
A week ago I saw some plants that were almost ready to go to seed but I  
blew off the thought of what was actually going on because I figured it was at 
 least three weeks earlier  than usual.
 
Russ Richardson, Forester
Arnoldsburg, WV
 
 
In a message dated 8/16/2012 12:35:11 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
anshelto at indiana.edu writes:

Hello  all,   


I have noticed that Japanese stilt grass in south central Indiana started  
setting seed by the first week of August this year.  Seed set  in this area 
usually begins in late August to early September. This year's  seed set is 
almost a full month earlier than usual.  Control efforts on  this annual 
plant need to be done before seed set to be effective, so an  earlier flowering 
time reduces the time for late-season management.  


The earlier flowering could be a result of a warm, early spring that  
caused stiltgrass and most native spring plants to germinate 3-4 weeks earlier  
than usual.  It could also be due to a much warmer than usual summer.  These 
causes are not mutually exclusive.  


I am curious if Japanese stiltgrass is also flowering earlier than usual  
in other regions.  If so, was germination also earlier than usual?  Summer 
temperatures were probably warmer than usual across the entire  range in the 
eastern U.S.  What are the typical germination and flowering  times in more 
southern regions where the growing season is longer?  Being  able to predict 
flowering time across a range of conditions is important to  know when the 
deadline is to complete management efforts for the year.  




Angie Shelton
Department of Biology
IU Research & Teaching  Preserve
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN 47405
812-855-1674
_anshelto at indiana.edu_ (mailto:anshelto at indiana.edu) 




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