Sexual and Clonal Reproduction in Cyperus esculentus : A Size‐Dependent Interpretation of Resource Allocation in Clonal Populations From Agricultural Fields in Northeastern Argentina

ABSTRACT Although numerous studies have examined reproductive strategies in weedy species, many have overlooked the influence of plant size on resource allocation patterns. Resource investment in Cyperus esculentus , measured as allocation to sexual structures and clonal propagules (tubers), was assessed at the genet level in a potted experiment under two contrasting light‐availability conditions, using three clonal populations from northeastern Argentina. It was found that shading consistently reduces both sexual and clonal reproduction, along with declines in genet size, while the relative investment in leaf mass remains invariant. Both sexual and clonal mass are strongly dependent on genet size under shade, where resource availability for growth is limited. Under full sun, no evidence appears for a linear relationship between genet size and either sexual or tuber mass; nevertheless, the reallocation of resources and meristems towards clonal expansion (i.e., the production of new ramets) may influence both reproductive functions. No association is evident between reproductive allocation plasticity across populations and fitness traits (represented by sexual and clonal mass); differences in reproduction among populations arise from variation in vegetative size rather than allocation strategy. A minimum genet size is required for both sexual reproduction and tuber production. Although no significant phenotypic correlation is found between sexual and clonal allocations, the negative relationship between sexual allocation and mean tuber size suggests that a trade‐off exists between the two reproductive functions. A thorough understanding of size‐dependent reproductive relationships in Cyperus esculentus has significant implications for its control and preventive management.