Biology and Control of Common Purslane (<i>Portulaca oleracea</i> L.)

Common purslane is a widely distributed summer annual weed. It can vegetatively reproduce from stem cuttings by forming adventitious roots from the cut end of the stem. Apart from large stem cuttings, it is unclear if purslane cuttings of various plant tissues differ in their ability to asexually reproduce. The objective of the study was to determine the survival and asexual reproductive capacity of purslane cuttings. A greenhouse study evaluated three cuttings from two stem locations and a leaf from one stem location for their survival and new leaf growth after 21 days. Cuttings included a stem node with either leaves attached or removed, stem internode, all from proximal and distal stem locations relative to the root crown and a leaf from a proximal stem node. Stem node cuttings had > 78% survival whereas internodes had 0% survival. Nodes with leaves attached further increased survival by > 20%. The location of the cutting on the main stem did not affect survival. Only noded cuttings produced new leaves, and cuttings with leaves attached produced the most new leaves. For purslane to vegetatively reproduce, nodes on stem cuttings are required and the presence of leaves on the cutting improves the survival and new leaf growth of cuttings. Therefore, mechanical methods of weed control that chop and spread purslane leaves and stems may not be effective means of control and could ultimately increase weed populations.