Developmental Variation in Carbohydrates of Purple Nutsedge

Abstract

Carbohydrate analysis of purple nutsedge (Cyperus rotundus L.) foliage and subterranean organs harvested over a 130 day period after planting tubers indicated that this species accumulates starch as a storge product. Glucose and fructose appeared to be the major monosaccharides and sucrose was the only disaccharide in foliage and tuber samples. Purple nutsedge appeared to maintain a tremendous capacity for starch metabolism and storage which explains, in part, the ability of this species to resist most control practices.