Cover Story
Coming to a Turf Area Near You By Jeffrey Derr, Ph.D., and Adam Nichols, Virginia Tech, Hampton Roads Ag. Research and Extension Center, Virginia Beach
I
first started studying doveweed (Murdannia nudiflora) about ten years ago when it began appearing at some of the container nurseries in Virginia. This weed can then move into — and become a weed problem in — landscape beds through the planting of contaminated nursery plants. In cooperation with a fellow weed scientist at North Carolina State University, Dr. Joe Neal, I worked out control programs for this new weed in nursery production and in maintenance of landscape ornamentals. More recently, I have been receiving questions about controlling this weed in turf areas, prompting additional research by Adam and me at the research station. This is a weed that is spreading in Virginia.
Doveweed has grass-like leaves but it is in the spiderwort family.
Doveweed biology Although it resembles grasses, doveweed is a summer annual monocot weed in the spiderwort family (Commelinaceae), which includes other problem weeds such as tropical spiderwort (Commelina benghalensis), Asiatic dayflower (Commelina communis), spreading dayflower (Commelina diffusa) and marsh dayflower (Murdannia keisak). Members of the spiderwort family
are monocots, having one seed leaf (cotyledon), like grasses. Doveweed is native to India, infests crops in many countries and has been considered
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one of the worst weeds of the Commelinaceae family worldwide. Doveweed has become a common weed in southeastern United States’