Invasiveness Assessment - Silverleaf nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium) in Victoria (Nox)

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Plant invasiveness is determined by evaluating a plant’s biological and ecological characteristics against criteria that encompass establishment requirements, growth rate and competitive ability, methods of reproduction, and dispersal mechanisms.

Each characteristic, or criterion, is assessed against a list of intensity ratings. Depending upon information found, a rating of Low, Medium Low, Medium High or High is assigned to that criterion. Where no data is available to answer a criterion, a rating of medium (M) is applied. A description of the invasiveness criteria and intensity ratings used in this process can be viewed here.

The following table provides information on the invasiveness of Silverleaf nightshade.

A more detailed description of the methodology of the Victorian Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) method can be viewed below:

Victorian Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) method (PDF - 630 KB)
Victorian Weed Risk Assessment (WRA) method (DOC - 1 MB)
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Common Name: Silverleaf nightshade
Scientific name: Solanum elaeagnifolium

Question	Comments	Reference	Rating
Establishment
Germination requirements?	“Seeds germinate in autumn”.	P & C (1992 p. 610)	MH
Establishment requirements?	Establishes in open areas (i.e. pastures and crops).	P & C (1992 p. )	ML
How much disturbance is required?	Invades pastures and crops “Perennial pastures do not check its growth”.	P & C (1992 p. 611)	MH
Growth/Competitive
Life form?	Perennial herb. Other.	P & C (1992 p. 609)	L
Allelopathic properties?	“It has been suggested that germination may be inhibited by the mucilaginous material surrounding the seed either because it forms a physical barrier to water imbibition or it contains a germination – inhibiting chemical”. “Allelopathic effects have been demonstrated in cotton”. ( P & C 1992 p. 611).	P & C (1992 p. 611)	ML
Tolerates herb pressure?	Consumed by cattle, sheep and goats. However, probably not preferred due to its highly toxic properties.	P & C (1992 p. 611)	MH
Normal growth rate?	“Competes directly with summer-growing crops and pastures and reduces production of winter crops such as cereals”.	P & C (1992 p. 611)	MH
Stress tolerance to frost, drought, w/logg, sal. etc?	Tolerant of drought. (See distribution in P &C 1992 p. 609). “Not confined to any particular soil type”.	P & C (1992 p. 609) P & C (1992 p. 609)	MH
Reproduction
Reproductive system	“Reproducing by seed and from roots”.	P & C (1992 p. 609)	H
Number of propagules produced?	About 75 seeds in each fruit x 30 fruits per plant. (See picture on page 609), = 2,250 seeds per plant.	P & C (1992 p. 609/610)	H
Propagule longevity?	“Seeds are … long lived”.	P & C (1992 p. 611)	MH Assumption
Reproductive period?	Perennial herbs: aerial growth dies at end of summer, but new shoots are produced each spring.	P & C (1992 p. 610)	MH Assumption
Time to reproductive maturity?	“Seeds germinate in autumn…flowering commences in November”.	P & C (1992 p. 610)	H
Dispersal
Number of mechanisms?	Numerous - See ‘dispersal’ (P & C 1992 p. 611). Including birds.	P & C (1992 p. 611)	H
How far do they disperse?	Birds could disperse seeds > 1 km.		H

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