Invasiveness Assessment - Common horsetail (Equisetum arvense) 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 Common horsetail.

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: Common horsetail
Scientific name: Equisetum arvense

Question	Comments	Reference	Rating
Establishment
Germination requirements?	“Spores germinate readily on a suitably moist substrate.” (p.16). Rhizomes reproduce at any time, provided water is available.	P&C (1992)	H
Establishment requirements?	Occurs as an understorey weed in fruit growing areas & amongst cereals, potatoes & other vegies under moderate canopy.	P&C (1992)	MH
How much disturbance is required?	Est in vigorously growing crops (e.g. cereals, potatoes) & is also problematic in established pastures.	P&C (1992)	MH
Growth/Competitive
Life form?	Semi-aquatic →occurs in wet places e.g. shallow ponds, marshy areas, wet meadows	Matus (1999)	H
Allelopathic properties?	“Probably toxic to surrounding vegetation due to high levels of alkaloids.” Contains germination – inhibitory substances (Suga & Hiraga 1998) – CAB Abstract	Rook (1999)	ML/L
Tolerates herb pressure?	Capable of propagule production (i.e. Rhizome growth & reproduction) under mod herbivory pressure.	P&C (1992)	MH
Normal growth rate?	Other herbs of semi-aquatic life form could be equally competitive, as display rapid growth & reproduce sexually and asexually.	P&C (1992) KEC (1991)	MH
Stress tolerance to frost, drought, w/logg, sal. etc?	Tolerant to waterlogging (occurs where watertable is high), salinity, frost (occurs in Iceland), & fire (rhizomes survive), not drought.	P&C (1992) Holm et al (1979)	MH
Reproduction
Reproductive system	Sexual (fertile stems have spore-bearing spike) & vegetative (rhizomes). Mostly vegetative reproduction.	P&C (1992)	H
Number of propagules produced?	5-10 spore-forming sporangia on each strobilus. - 10 sporangia/strobilus x >200 spores = >2000 spores	P&C (1992)	H
Propagule longevity?	Most spores die, as almost immediate germination is required for survival.	P&C (1992)	L
Reproductive period?	Stems annual, however rhizomes persistent. Forms self-sustaining dense monocultures (picture P&C p.17).	P&C (1992)	H
Time to reproductive maturity?	Fertile stems appear in late spring. Can be <1 yr after germ as germ occurs almost immediately.	P&C (1992)	H
Dispersal
Number of mechanisms?	Propagules are spores - v. light. Easily dispersed by wind. Also have elators to aid dissemination.	P&C (1992) US Dept Ag (1970)	MH
How far do they disperse?	Likely to disperse 200-1,000 m due to small size of spores & elators.	P&C (1992) US Dept Ag (1970)	MH

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