Abstract
Efficient approaches aimed at restricting Cuscuta campestris distribution can be based on the control of seed germination. Thus, data on effects of environmental factors, seed age, seed longevity and viability, and hosts on C. campestris seed germination and emergence would provide valuable information in that context. Seeds of 26 populations of C. campestris were collected from different locations in Serbia during the field season August–October between 2005 and 2019. Seeds were collected in three major agronomic regions in Serbia: Banat (13 populations), Srem (11 populations), and Macva (2 populations). The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of different temperatures and light on seed germination and seedling growth of populations of C. campestris, determine possible correlations between seed age or hosts and total germination and seedling growth, and survey the morphological diversity and genetic variability of seeds of this parasitic plant. Large variability of germination patterns was observed within each agronomic region, and the high variance of seed germination patterns within regions reflects the ability of C. campestris to adapt to local agricultural management practices. For practical purposes, populations that start and complete their emergence earlier are considered harder to control. Thus, farmers should implement effective mechanical and chemical management measures for early-germinating populations.
Highlights
IntroductionThe objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of different temperatures and light on seed germination and seedling growth of populations of C. campestris, determine possible correlations between seed age or hosts and total germination and seedling growth, and survey the morphological diversity and genetic variability of seeds of this parasitic plant
Laboratory of Herbology, Institute of Pesticides and Environmental Protection, Banatska 31b, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, Sofia University, 8 Dragan Tsankov Blvd., Department of Agronomy, Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, Maksima Gorkog 30, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Belgrade, Serbia; Abstract: Efficient approaches aimed at restricting Cuscuta campestris distribution can be based on the control of seed germination
C. campestris seed, specifying the color as brown, which is consistent with our observation that most test populations were brown, strong brown, and dark brown
Summary
The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of different temperatures and light on seed germination and seedling growth of populations of C. campestris, determine possible correlations between seed age or hosts and total germination and seedling growth, and survey the morphological diversity and genetic variability of seeds of this parasitic plant. The field dodder (Cuscuta campestris Yunck.) is the most prominent among the approximately 200 species in the parasitic plant genus Cuscuta (Convolvulaceae). Effective management of weed species, including parasitic plants, in agricultural systems, requires an understanding of such species’ population dynamics [10], and seed fate is a critically important component of such insight. Seed dormancy is another significant property of seeds that directly affects their germinating capacity It is the crucial factor for C. campestris survival and spread in agroecosystems. Many members of the Convolvulaceae family include species with seeds that are capable of undergoing physical dormancy ensured by the water-impermeable mechanical layers in the seed coat [18]
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