Surveying the spatial distribution of feral sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) and its sympatry with johnsongrass (S. halepense) in South Texas

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) is an important grain and forage crop grown across the US. In some areas, sorghum can become feral along roadsides and other ruderal areas, as a result of seed spill during harvest or transport. In some of these situations, feral sorghum grows in or near established johnsongrass (S. halepense) populations. Johnsongrass, a wild relative of sorghum and an incredibly noxious weed, is capable of hybridizing with cultivated sorghum. Because commercial hybrid sorghum cultivars are produced with cytoplasmic male sterility, progeny of the hybrid crop which compose the founder feral populations also segregate for male sterility. Consequently, male sterility in feral sorghum may increase the risk of outcrossing with johnsongrass. Using field surveys and spatial modelling, the present study aimed at documenting the occurrence of feral sorghum and understanding the anthropogenic and environmental factors that influence its distribution. Further, this research documen...

高粱（Sorghum bicolor）是美国广泛种植的重要粮食与饲料作物。在部分区域，因收获或运输过程中种子散落，高粱可在路边及其他荒弃生境中逸为野生。在此类情形下，部分逸生高粱会生长于已建立的假高梁（S. halepense）种群内部或其邻近区域。假高梁作为高粱的野生近缘种，是危害性极强的恶性杂草，可与栽培高粱发生杂交。由于商业化杂交高粱品种均通过细胞质雄性不育（cytoplasmic male sterility）体系繁育，作为逸生种群创始群体的杂交作物后代，同样会发生雄性不育性状的分离。因此，逸生高粱中的雄性不育特性可能提升其与假高梁发生异交的风险。本研究通过野外调查与空间建模，旨在记录逸生高粱的发生情况，并解析影响其分布的人为与环境因子。此外，本研究还对……进行了记录