TURFGRASSES: INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES (IAS) AS EN EMERGING
PROBLEM IN ITALY
Potenza Giovanna2, Castronuovo D.1,Fascetti S.2, Perniola M.1, Miccolis V.1, Lovelli S.1, Candido V.1
1University of Basilicata, Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Environment, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
2University of Basilicata, Department of Biology, Biotechnology and Agro-Forestry Protection, Viale dell’Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
1.INTRODUCTION
In Italy, many species from foreign countries were introduced by some public and private institutions for
economic development, recreational uses, or environmental improvements, such as erosion control,
restoration and beautification of landscaping along the highways.
In Italy as a result of a national research program supported by Ministry of Environment (MATTM) 1023
non native species (IAS) have been identified. Among them, turfgrasses species can be considered
some of the most easily spread. The production and planting of turfgrasses are a fast developing
business with a growing demand for easy to use materials that is often set up using non native species.
This paper reports the first results of an Italian research project, financed by the Italian Ministry of
Agriculture, named Mi.T.E.A.Med 'Miglioramento dei tappeti erbosi in ambiente mediterraneo: impiego di Mediterranean Study Area and Sites in Italy
specie endemiche e ottimizzazione delle tecniche di impianto' (Improved turfgrass in Mediterranean
environment: use of endemic species of plant and optimization techniques ).
The Mi.T.E.A.Med research results suggest that Mediterranean adapted native grass species are worth investigating for turfgrass making as
mono [e.g. Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] and polycultures (e.g. Potentilla reptans L., Trifolium repens L., Lotus corniculatus L.) for their
performance advantages and low resource use (especially water requirement). These species can be used as promising alternatives to
conventional non-native turfgrasses.
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
The research is organized in two phases: the first one involves
screening of the study area (Central and Southern Italy) to find
suitable turfgrass species caracteristic of the Mediterranean
Bioclimate; the second one focuses on innovative propagation
and cultivation techniques, including hydroponic to optimize the
'mother plants' growth.
During summer 2011 and winter 2012 samples of different
macrotherm native species were collected in coastal and hilly
especially on sandy substrates dry and/or salty (Tabb.1,2)
Now there are being studied 29 monocots and 5 dicots and for
each ecotypes some morphometrical aspects were mesured
(Tab. 3).
Medicago sp.
Cynodon dactylon L.
Lotu sp.
Tab. 1 List of sites collected
Paspalum paspaloides (Michx.) Scribner
Potentilla reptans L.
Trifolium repens L.
3. RESULTS and CONCLUSIONS
REGION
LOCALITY
ALTITUDE
m a.s.l.
Coord WGS
84 EAST
Coord WGS 84
NORTH
LAZIO
FERONIA
400
301916
4668620
MOLISE
VASTO
0
478443
4661223
CAMPANIA
ASCEA
0
515761
4438447
CALABRIA
DIAMANTE
0
578877
4376962
BASILICATA
POLICORO
0
642234
4441331
BASILICATA
PISTICCI
0
656509
4461467
GINOSA
0
666275
At this stage biometric data (Tab. 4) on the Cynodon spp. characteristics have PUGLIA
BASILICATA MONTESCAGLIOSO
200
650379
been used in PCA (Fig.2) in which the first dimension absorbs 56% of the total BASILICATA
MATERA
200
640701
variability while the second 35%.
Tab. 2 List of ecotypes collected
The PCA therefore allows to discriminate the different Cynodon ecotypes primarily in function of root length
ECOTYPES
(l_root) and leaf lenght (l_leaf).
natural Cynodon dactylon
The next phase of the project expects to make growing tests in a controlled environmental conditions to natural Paspalum paspaloides
confirm the biometric and morphological characteristics of the samples collected and carry out stress tests to natural Trifolium repens
natural Poa pratensis
identify ecotypes with low water requirements and salinity resistence.
4484012
4491214
4501305
NUMBER OF ACCESSIONS
25
3
1
1
Potentilla reptans
1
Lotus sp.
1
Medicago sp.
2
Tab.3 Database reporting plant morphological aspects
Cod
P_P2
length leaf
mm
width leaf
mm
internodes
length
root length
root width
mm
stolon
length mm
average of
stolones
rooted
52
1,7
15
35
2
31,5
16
Tab. 4 Univariate statistic on biometric measure of Cynodon spp.
N
l_root
w_root
l_stolon
n_interno
des
25
25
25
25
w_leaf
l_leaf
average_internodes
25
25
25
Va
42,6
0,9
32
0
0
28,7
7
Min
Vb
14
1,5
16
0
0
28,7
10
Max
180
3
62
44,2
4,1
130
19
Vc
42
3,2
15
57
1
34,8
18
Sum
1283,8
32
860,36
482,9
59,5
1365
255
Vd
18,6
3,9
15
15
Mean
19,316
2,38
54,6
10,2
Ve
27,7
2,5
13,3
70
1
30
11
Std. error
7,75117
0,155671
2,98506
2,07649
0,233095
7,20753
0,802081
Vf
31
3,6
7
14
0,5
32
19
Variance
1502,01
0,605833
222,764
107,796
1,35833
1298,71
16,0833
Stand. dev
38,7558
0,778353
14,9253
10,3825
1,16548
36,0377
4,0104
40
1
30
16,9
2,6
45
10
0
0
0
30
1
20,36
18
1R
67
1,7
16
40
2
59,7
7
2R
125
4,1
20
50
0,5
47,6
6
5R
125
4,1
20
50
0,5
50
5
8R
64
1,7
15
38
2
54
6
G1
120
2,9
20
45
0,5
G2
110
3
22
80
1
37
8
G3
0
0
0
30
2
33,2
10
3
42
1,3
35
60
1
59
5
34,4144
0
0
180
4
130
3
20
62
0,5
62
4
5
42
1,3
35
60
1
59
5
160
C_O1
56
2,8
23
34
2
22
12
140
C_O1bis
45
3,6
14
180
1
17
16
AZ_P5
39
3
10,6
37
2
34,7
10
Pa1
85
2,9
9
65
0,5
0
0
Pa3
60
3,8
15
19,8
1,5
19,5
10
Pa4
69,8
2,7
15
120
2
38,6
14
A1
46,5
2,6
23,3
50
2
25,2
11
A2
75
2,4
44,2
40
3
22,4
11
A3
32
1,9
16,9
30
1
18,8
12
A6
92
2
28,8
10
29,4
80
2
21,7
11
2,6
27
50
1
0
0
AZ_P2
7,61
4,5
0
70
1,5
18
12
AZ_P3
14,6
6,2
0
0
0
37,9
11
A4 Mg
12,1
10,53
0
80
1
23
12
A5 Mp
8,6
5,2
0
80
1
16
15
80
Y
Vb
Vc
-60
A3l_stolon
2R
Pa4 20 G1
5
C_O1
P_P2
-40
80
100
1R
Vf
A7
-60
l_root
40
-80
20
0
G3
C_O1bisn_internodes
Vg
w_leaf
w_root
30
-40 A6 -20
20
40
60
AZ_P5
A2
average_internodes
4
A1
Ve
-20
60
-100
Fig. 1 Distribution of morphologigal aspects
l_leaf
25,2
3,8
7,49
100
l_stolon
1,5
72,6
120
n_stolon
35,2
A7
l_leaf
60
G28R
8
AZ_P1
4
40
w_root
43
Median
1,28
0
Component 2 (35% l_leaf)
Vg
51,352
15
l_root
15
w_leaf
0,5
0
l_intern
22
0
Component 1 (56%l_root)
Fig. 2 PCA on Cynodon spp. ecotypes
3