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Table 1 Morphological characteristics and biomass of Helianthus tuberosus and Ageratina adenophora competition under full sunlight

From: Potential use of Helianthus tuberosus to suppress the invasive alien plant Ageratina adenophora under different shade levels

Variables

Ratios (H. tuberosus: A. adenophora)

4:0

2:1

1:1

1:2

0:4

Total shoot length (cm)

 H. tuberosus

173.62 ± 3.59c

181.74 ± 4.37b

190.54 ± 4.51ab

197.62 ± 4.26a

–

 A. adenophora

–

61.67 ± 1.77d

96.11 ± 1.46c

140.58 ± 1.80b

171.39 ± 2.26a

Main stem length (cm)

 H. tuberosus

138.06 ± 2.68c

143.17 ± 3.76bc

149.34 ± 3.60ab

152.96 ± 3.27a

–

 A. adenophora

–

41.06 ± 1.68d

60.79 ± 1.55c

75.22 ± 1.25b

84.72 ± 1.93a

Total branch length (cm)

 H. tuberosus

35.56 ± 1.13d

38.58 ± 1.09c

41.19 ± 1.09b

44.66 ± 1.04a

–

 A. adenophora

–

20.61 ± 0.47d

35.42 ± 0.50c

65.36 ± 0.65b

86.67 ± 0.96a

Branch number

 H. tuberosus

3.5 ± 0.4b

4.0 ± 0.4b

4.9 ± 0.5a

5.1 ± 0.5a

–

 A. adenophora

–

6.4 ± 0.5d

9.4 ± 0.5c

14.3 ± 0.6b

18.3 ± 0.9a

Leafstalk length (cm)

 H. tuberosus

5.80 ± 0.02c

5.95 ± 0.04b

6.06 ± 0.03a

6.10 ± 0.03a

–

 A. adenophora

–

3.01 ± 0.02d

3.45 ± 0.01c

3.83 ± 0.01b

4.74 ± 0.02a

Leaf area (cm2)

 H. tuberosus

64.57 ± 0.59c

65.21 ± 0.71bc

66.18 ± 0.74b

67.93 ± 0.70a

–

 A. adenophora

–

16.20 ± 0.15d

20.25 ± 0.16c

33.32 ± 0.36b

38.34 ± 0.24a

Root biomass (g)

 H. tuberosus

236.97 ± 2.94c

262.79 ± 4.60b

264.76 ± 3.38b

286.44 ± 3.20a

–

 A. adenophora

–

2.74 ± 0.09d

4.20 ± 0.24c

8.25 ± 0.27b

14.32 ± 0.30a

Aboveground biomass (g)

 H. tuberosus

95.16 ± 1.00c

105.86 ± 2.03b

106.75 ± 3.43b

125.40 ± 3.98a

–

 A. adenophora

–

11.24 ± 0.29d

14.31 ± 0.29c

16.29 ± 0.36b

42.34 ± 1.43a

Total biomass (g)

 H. tuberosus

332.13 ± 3.79c

368.64 ± 4.94b

371.50 ± 5.94b

411.84 ± 5.77a

–

 A. adenophora

–

13.98 ± 0.20d

18.51 ± 0.24c

24.54 ± 0.41b

56.64 ± 1.21a

  1. Data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation. Different letters within the same row signify significant differences at P < 0.05