Establishment and Early Regeneration of Stem Cuttings from Chicken Weed (Portulaca quadrifida L.) as Influenced by Soil Types

Differences in the ability of soil are a requirement for early regeneration of a plant. It was a pot experiment carried out at Sokoto in the Sudano Sahelian agro-ecological Zone of Nigeria. The objective was to investigate the regenerative ability of stem cuttings of Chicken weed on different soil type as a strategy for the weed control. The experimental set up was 3 × 7 factorial arrangement in a Completely Randomized Design. The treatments consisted of seven stem cuttings types namely (NLA-D node leaf attached at distal stem location, NLR-D node leaf removed from distal stem location, NLA-Pnode leaf attached at proximal stem location, NLR-Pnode leaf removed from proximal stem location, IN-D internodes at distal stem location, IN-Pinternodes from proximal stem location and SRAstem roots attached) and three soil textural class (Sandy, Silty clay and Loamy sand). Result revealed that Silty clay recorded highest number of survived plants. Plant height, number of leaves, nodes, internodes and internodes length were greatly favoured by sandy soil. Loamy sand supported the earliness to leaf emergence and flowering. NLA-D supported the early regeneration of the plant in all stem cuttings tested, but earliness to leaf emergence and flowering was better with NLAP. This finding gave information that Chicken weed regenerate profusely and control measures should be administers to save target crop from yield losses. DOI:https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/jasem.v24i9.15 Copyright: Copyright © 2020 Garba et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License (CCL), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Dates: Received: 10 August 2020; Revised: 16 September 2020; Accepted: 22 September 2020

Portulaca quadrifida originates from India, and has been widely distributed in other temperate and tropical areas of the world (Lie et al., 2015 andZhou, 2015). Netala et al. (2014) reported that the botanical name is derived from the Latin Potare, meaning to "carry," and Lac or "milk", referring to the milky sap of the plant. Portulaca quadrifida belongs to the family Portulacaceae. (Nyffeler and Eggli, 2010). The weed has been known by a number of other synonyms (Illecebrum verticillatum L., Portulaca formosana (Hayatta), Portulaca meridiana L.f., Portulaca microphylla A. Rich. and Portulaca walteriana), but the original Linnean name persists and there is no confusion with any closely related species. Therefore, it is regarded as a variable species and occurs in a number of different ploidy forms (2n= 18, 36, 48) (PROTA, 2014). Gilbert and Phillips (2000) described the P. quadrifida as mat-forming habit and prostrate stems which can root from the nodes. It can easily be distinguished from other members of the genus. The flowers are said to open promptly at 10:00am, hence the English name ten O'clock plants (Grubben and Derton 2004), but is most preferably called Chicken weed (PROTA, 2014). The group of Portulaca that is particularly with alternate leaves is taxonomically difficult to control compared with P. quadrifida that is rather unique with its mat-formation habit, although, it varies particularly in stamen number and flower size (PROTA, 2014). Portulaca quadrifida is an annual weed that causes significant damage to a variety of crops. Subbulakshmi (2009) reported that in its native India, P. quadrifida is a significant weed in maize (Zea mays) and onions (Allium cepa) (Kachare et al., 2005). The plant is reported to be a major weed of green gram (Vigna radiata) in the 'summer' season in India but less significant in black gram (V. mungo) in the monsoon season (Singh et al., 1991). Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan), cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata), cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis), cucurbits (Cucurbitaceae family) and teosinte (Zea species) in India, coffee (Coffea species) in Kenya, and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) in Sudan are variety host species of P. quadrifida (Singh et al., 1991). It is also a common weed in garden land crops like banana (Srinivasan et al., 2009)

.The genus
Portulaca comprised of about 150 species, mostly distributed in arid tropical and subtropical regions, particularly Africa and South America, with a few species extending into temperate regions with some of them cultivated for medicinal or horticultural uses (Chung et al., 2008). According to Nyananyo and Mensah (1990), the family Portulacaceae is virtually cosmopolitan in distribution and its component genera show interesting patterns of distribution, which may shed some light on its history and origins.
Portulaca quadrifida is widely distributed in Africa and tropical Asia and has also been introduced into the warmer areas of the Americans. It was also reported that the weed is found in all countries in Africa usually as a weed and it is rarely cultivated (Jansen, 2004). P. quadrifida is found in the wild from sea-level up to 2000m altitude on the bare patches of ground and among rocks, on sandy or stony soils. They are involuntarily introduced by man in to new areas where it never existed; like the compost, rubbish heaps and fields. It is tolerant of a wide range of soils but prefers sand or sandy loams (PROTA, 2014). The objective of the present study was to investigate the regenerative ability of Chicken weed through propagation by stem cuttings under different soil type which will aid in mapping out strategies for the control of the weed.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Experimental Site, Soil and collection of plant material: The experiment was conducted at the Biological garden of the Department of Biological Science of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, Nigeria (Latitude 12 0 01ʹ N and 13 0 58ʹ N and Longitude 4 0 8ʹ E and 6 0 54ʹ E) during the2017 and 2018 rainy seasons. The aim of this study is to investigate the early regeneration from stem cuttings of Chicken weed (Portulaca quadrifida) under different soil types. Sokoto is characterized by a long dry season from November to May, comprising of cool dry air (harmattan) between November to February and hot dry air between March and May (Ahmed et al., 2007). Soils (Sand, silt clay and loamy sand) were randomly collected at the depth of 0 -15 cm from the Fadama Research farm and Dry land Research Farm of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto. Soil was analyzed for its physical properties and contents of Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium at the laboratory using standard procedures. Matured stem of Chicken weed were collected in an onion farm at Birnin-Kebbi during the rainy season of 2017 and 2018. Seven different cuttings were made from the stem of the plant which serves as the treatments. Plastic pots measuring 25cm diameter × 24cm height was filled with 10 kg of the soil sample from the three soil textural class and irrigated prior before planting. Three stem cuttings of the Chicken weed were planted in the pots according to the laid down treatments.
Treatments and Experimental Design: The experiment consisted of two factors namely; three Soil Types (Sand, Silty clay and loamy sand) and seven stem cuttings of Chicken weed (NLA-D -node leaf attached at distal stem location, NLR-D -node leaf removed from distal stem location, NLA-P -node leaf attached at proximal stem location, NLR-P-node leaf removed from proximal stem location, IN-D internodes at distal stem location, IN-P-internodes from proximal stem location and SRA-stem roots attached). The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and replicated three times. The pots were planted with three stem cuttings each and the pots were surface irrigated every other day throughout the growing period.
Data Collection and Analysis: Data collection on the growth parameters of the plants was taken at intervals of 15 and 30 days after planting (DAP) which includes percentage establishment count, plant height, number of leaves/plant, number of nodes/plants, number of internodes/plant, internodes length, days to leaf emergence and days to first flowering. Data collected was subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using GenStat 17 th Edition. Fisher's least significant difference test was used to separate treatment means at 5% levels of probability.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Soil characteristics: Three different agricultural soils were used for the study with different textural class (Sand, Silty clay and Loamy sand)and soil nutrient content (NPK) was presented in Table 1 and 2 respectively. The analysis of the physical properties ( Table 1) soil content of NPK (Table 2) showed that soil sample collected in 2017 revealed that, sample A, B and C was Sand, Clay and Loamy soil with pH level of 7.7, 6.8 and 7.3 respectively, while result observed during the 2018 showed that sample A, B and C has the pH of 7.6, 6.8 and 6.9 respectively.
The result indicated here showed that farming activities among farmers in the study area resulted to low nutrient composition of the soil types used for this research with pH ranges between 6.8 -7.7. This result corroborate the report of Olabode et al. (2007) and Babajide et al. (2008) who stated that most tropical soils are acidic and low in nutrients and can no effectively sustain vegetative and reproductive growth of tropical vegetables.    Wassner and Ravetta (2000) who reported that good propagation ability from top cuttings was better than from the basal cuttings in Grindelia chiloensis. Interaction on soil textural class and stem cuttings on establishment count at 30 DAP was observed ( Table  3).The interaction of soil textural classes and stem cuttings on the establishment count of P. quadrifida at 30 DAP is presented in Table 4. The result showed that stem cuttings with NLA-D, NLR -D and NLA -P produced similar highest establishment count in all the soil textural class, except NLA -P in silty clay. NLR -P and SRA under silty clay produced similar highest plant establishment count. NLR -P produced the lowest establishment count under sandy and loamy sand respectively and IN-D and IN-P did not regenerate.   Influence of soil textural class and stem cuttings on days to leaf emergence and days to first flowering of leaves of Chicken weed: Table 6 represent days to leaf emergence and days to first flowering of Chicken weed in 2017 and 2018 at Sokoto. The result revealed that significant (p<0.05) difference was noticed when different soil textural class was used. The earliness to leaf emergence was influenced with the use of loamy sand in both years and the result was at par when silty clay was used, while the use of sand produced the lateness to leaf emergence. The early emergence of the leaves of the weed could be as a result of adaptation of the weed to sandy soil. Ramamoorthy et al. (2004) asserted that many weeds can adapt and grow well in soils having poor soil fertility status. For example, thatch grass (Imperata cylindrica Beauv.) grows well in low fertile soils and can also adapt well to soils of high fertility, while Commelina benghalensis L. thrives better in both moist and dry soil conditions. Stem cuttings of Chicken weed has significant (p<0.05) influence on the leaf emergence of the weed. In 2018, the use of NLA-D, NLR-D, NLA-P and SRA recorded the earliness to leaf emergence with similar earliness to leaf emergence been observed in 2017 with the use of NLR-P. All other treatments in 2017 recorded lateness to flowering, but IN-D and IN-P did not regenerate. Table 6 indicates that Days to first flowering of Chicken weed was not affected with use of different soil textural classes, but the use of stem cuttings has significant (p<0.05) differences been observed. The use of NLA-D, NLR-D, NLA-P and SRA in 2018 significantly (p<0.05) recorded the earliness to flowering with similar earliness to leaf emergence been observed in 2017 with the use of NLR-D, NLR-P and SRA. The lateness to flowering of product of stem cuttings was observed in 2017 when NLA-D and NLA-P was used, while IN-D and IN-P did not regenerate (Table 6).Loamy sand greatly enhanced the growth of Chicken weed in terms of days to leaf emergence. Early leaf emergence of the plant may be due the role played by loamy sand soil which was characterized with the ability of water holding capacity which must have retained much soil moisture for plant to grow faster, though P. quadrifida can survive in a wide range of soils (PROTA, 2014).Days to leaf emergence were earlier when NLR-P was used and days to first flowering were favored with the use of NLR-D. In this regard, Kim and Carr (1990) reported that flowers of Portulaca exhibit sequential maturation throughout the growing season and the development of mature capsules from flowering usually required 13-14 days in most species and all flowers examined lasted only 1 day. Vengris et al. (1972) stated that Purslane will continue flowering under favorable conditions. Conclusion: This study elaborates more light on the knowledge of regeneration ability of Chicken weed (Portulaca quadrifida) on different soil textural class. All stem cutting of the weed regenerated except IN-D and IN-P. Irrespective of location, Chicken weed can adapt and survive in a wide range of soil. To further elucidate on the regeneration and copious nature of the weed, it is therefore recommended that, strategies for the control of P. quadrifida earlier than none using integrated weed management methods are essential for optimum crop yield.