Publication Date

2012

Document Type

Thesis

Committee Members

James Amon (Committee Member), Don Cipollini (Advisor), Thomas Rooney (Committee Member)

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Abstract

Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) has been previously found to be significantly affected negatively by powdery mildew (Erysiphe cruciferarum). While we could not significantly corroborate those findings we did find evidence that E. cruciferarum does inhibit A. petiolata's allelopathic and competitive effects which benefits some target neighbor species such as Impatiens capensis and Elymus canadensis. We also found that the inhibition of A. petiolata by E. cruciferarum had negative consequences on another neighboring invasive species (Lonicera maackii) compared to those grown next to uninfected A. petiolata. Acer saccharum, a slow-growing species had no effect between neighbors. Sterilization treatments had variable effects on target plants, many of which mirror the effects which allelopathic plants (A. petiolata) that disrupt soil microbes seem to have. Sterilization inhibited growth of E. canadensis through the destruction of beneficial effects from microbes, while increasing the growth of L. maackii by inhibiting the pathogenic effects of microbes.

Page Count

63

Department or Program

Department of Biological Sciences

Year Degree Awarded

2012


Included in

Biology Commons

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