GENOTYPIC DIVERSITY OF KIKUYUGRASS (PENNISETUM-CLANDESTINUM) POPULATIONS IN CALIFORNIA

Using starch gel electrophoresis, we examined the genetic variability of kikuyugrass collected from three golf course sites within its geogr aphical range in California, These experiments were conducted to deter mine the method of spread of kikuyugrass in areas where it is consider ed invasive, Samples from roughs and fairways of each of these locatio ns were compared, Of the 354 plants examined, 12 different genotypes w ere identified by isozyme analysis, and only three of the nine putativ e loci varied among the genotypes, Two genotypes, representing 73% of the plants examined, were found at all three geographic locations. Our results imply that under common golf course practices, kikuyugrass is maintained by clonal reproduction. We conclude that low genetic varia tion does not preclude a plant species from being an aggressive invade r.