Abstract
Chenopodium album is a widespread and troublesome weed in Iowa and agricultural areas throughout the north temperate regions of the world. This study investigated the effects of various factors on the stimulation of germination of two populations of C. album seeds collected in 2007 and 2008 at a common location. These factors included light, temperature, after-ripening time, nitrate, and water level. Germination of both populations was generally stimulated by light, warm (15-25℃)and hot (25-35℃) temperatures, 0.01 M nitrate, 3 to 5 weeks of after-ripening (4℃, dark, moist), and with the 2008 population, 1.0 and 1.25 ml of water. The interaction of these factors, particularly light, warm temperatures and nitrate, stimulated higher germination than when applied individually. Germination was very low in cold (5-15℃) temperatures or darkness, regardless of other treatments applied. The goal of this experiment was to lay a foundation with two local Iowa populations to guide further studies developing a seed germination assay to determine variability of dormancy among individual seeds of and between populations. Insights about dormancy variability in C. album gained from the current research included positive responses by both populations to light, warm and hot temperatures, nitrate, and intermediate after-ripening times. However, the populations differed in their response to water quantity and, for most conditions, the 2008 population achieved greater overall germination. The overarching goal of this project is to build a condensed C. album seed germination assay to characterize individual populations to predict seedling emergence patterns in agricultural soils in an effort to decrease interference with crop productivity.
Highlights
Chenopodium album is a widespread and troublesome weed in Iowa and agricultural areas throughout the north temperate regions of the world
Parent plants exposed to long photo periods (16-17 hours) produce a higher percentage of dormant seeds (Jursik et al, 2003;Wentland, 1965) as well as more seeds overall (Wentland, 1965) than plants exposed to Environment and Ecology Research 2(2)
Light stimulated the 2007 C. album population germination but its effects varied with temperature and after-ripening duration (4°C, dark, moist; timeAR) prior to germination when averaged over water and nitrate levels (Fig. 1)
Summary
Chenopodium album (common lambsquarters) is a widespread and troublesome weed in Iowa and agricultural areas throughout the north temperate regions of the world. A. C. album response to photoperiod length has been studied intensely at the level of the parent plant and in seed germination tests. Parent plants exposed to long photo periods (16-17 hours) produce a higher percentage of dormant seeds (Jursik et al, 2003;Wentland, 1965) as well as more seeds overall (Wentland, 1965) than plants exposed to Environment and Ecology Research 2(2):80-90, 2014. Parent plants exposed to long photoperiods produce seeds which require light to germinate and which are stimulated by red or white light and inhibited by far red light. Seeds produced under short days do not require light to germinate and are unaffected by red or far red light (Wentland, 1965). Wentland (1965) found that it is the length of photoperiod and not the intensity of light experienced by the parent plant which determines the dormancy of seeds
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