Comparison of Ramet and "Wild Type" Establishment for Cogongrass, Imperata cylindrica

The establishment of Imperata cylindrica was compared by planting greenhouse grown ramets and field collected tillers (wild type). The ramets were collected taking rhizomes from a single plant, cutting them in pieces that contained two nodes, and then planting these in a composted pine bark potting mix. The wild type was produced by harvesting field-grown cogongrass, trimming the roots to 2 cm, and planting individual tillers in the same potting mix. All plants were then placed under mist until they had become established. The ramets and wild types were then potted in a mixture of 80:10:10 bark:sand:peat (v:v); in 30-cm-diameter pots. The pots were then placed on greenhouse benches. Data collected every 2 weeks for tillers per plant indicated that the wild type group had a significantly better production. At the later stages of development (6, 12, 18, or 24 weeks), wild type produced plants had greater length of tillers; and dry weights of tops, rhizomes and roots.