Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/31577
Title: Common Sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus): Weed management guide for Australian vegetable production
Contributor(s): Coleman, M  (author); Kristiansen, P  (author)orcid ; Sindel, B  (author)orcid ; Fyfe, C  (author)
Publication Date: 2021-04
Open Access: Yes
Handle Link: https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/31577
Open Access Link: https://www.une.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/378189/une-weeds-common-sowthistle.pdfOpen Access Link
Abstract: 

Common sowthistle (Sonchus oleraceus) is an annual herbaceous plant, growing between 0.2 m and 1.5 m in height.

Figure 1 includes a series of photos of common sowthistle at different life stages, from a young seedling through to a mature flowering plant, including images of the flowers and seed.

Common sowthistle initially forms as a rosette, up to 25 cm in diameter, before growing as an erect plant commonly 1 m in height. Stems are circular, green to purple, hollow, and produce a milky sap when cut. Lower leaves are smooth, thin, and lance-shaped, while upper leaves are generally smooth although can be hairy. Upper leaves can show considerable variation in shape, but are generally bluish-green with irregularly-toothed margins ending in small soft spines. Leaves can be between 6 cm and 35 cm in length. The plant has a long, slender pale taproot that is usually branched.

Flowers are light yellow in colour, 10 to 15 mm in diameter, with many narrow petals. Fruit (forming at the base of the flower) is wrinkled, tapers at the base, and produces fine white cottony hairs after flowering.

At its early growing stages, common sowthistle is almost indistinguishable from prickly sowthistle (Sonchus asper), a weed that is also common in Australian vegetable farms and has much the same impacts as common sowthistle. However, as a larger plant, prickly sowthistle is distinguishable from common sowthistle by its leaf form, which is thicker, more curled and with much more significant spines along the leaf margins (Figures 2 and 3). Management of the two species will largely be the same.

Publication Type: Book
Publisher: University of New England
Place of Publication: Armidale, Australia
Fields of Research (FoR) 2020: 300202 Agricultural land management
300409 Crop and pasture protection (incl. pests, diseases and weeds)
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2020: 260505 Field grown vegetable crops
HERDC Category Description: A2 Authored Book - Other
Extent of Pages: 12
Appears in Collections:Book
School of Environmental and Rural Science

Files in This Item:
1 files
File SizeFormat 
Show full item record

Page view(s)

1,810
checked on Mar 24, 2024

Download(s)

2
checked on Mar 24, 2024
Google Media

Google ScholarTM

Check


Items in Research UNE are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.