Management of Spartina alterniflora: Assessing the Efficacy of Plant Growth Regulators on Ecological and Microbial Dynamics

Chenyan Sha, Zhixiong Wang, Jiajie Cao, Jing Chen, Cheng Shen, Jing Zhang, Qiang Wang () and Min Wang ()
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Chenyan Sha: Shanghai Academy of Environmental Sciences, Shanghai 200235, China
Zhixiong Wang: State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Environmental Risk Assessment and Control on Chemical Process, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
Jiajie Cao: College of Landscape Architecture, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China
Jing Chen: Dongying Modern Agriculture Demonstration Zone Management Center, Dongying 257500, China
Cheng Shen: Shanghai Academy of Environmental Sciences, Shanghai 200235, China
Jing Zhang: School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China
Qiang Wang: School of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
Min Wang: Shanghai Academy of Environmental Sciences, Shanghai 200235, China

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 17, 1-14

Abstract: Spartina alterniflora is recognized as one of the most detrimental invasive species along China’s coastlines, highlighting the need for effective and environmentally safe management strategies to preserve intertidal zones. This study assessed the effectiveness of combining plant growth regulators (PRGs) with physical cutting to manage S. alterniflora , using 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA gene sequencing to evaluate the impacts on the plant and associated soil micro-organisms. The results showed that compared to the control (CK), the regeneration numbers for treatments with abscisic acid (ABA), gibberellin (GA), paclobutrazol (PP 333 ), garcinol (GC), and glyphosate (GP) decreased by 29.75%, 23.25%, 15.75%, 94.50%, and 40.50%, respectively. Comparative analysis revealed no statistically significant variation in the inhibitory effects of ABA and GP on the germination of S. alterniflora ( p > 0.05). Additionally, applying PRGs and herbicides increased the diversity indices of soil bacteria and fungi. Principal Coordinates Analysis (PCoA) showed that the impact of PRGs on the fungal community was less pronounced than that of herbicides. Significant differences were also noted in the abundance of microbial functional genes related to methanotrophy, hydrocarbon degradation, and denitrification compared to the control ( p < 0.05). This study aimed to assess the potential of PRGs in controlling the invasion of S. alterniflora and to elucidate their impacts on soil microbial communities and functional gene expression.

Keywords: S. alterniflora; plant growth regulator; microbial community; function prediction (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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