Variability of Seed Germination and Dormancy Characteristics and Genetic Analysis of Latvian Avena fatua Populations.

Jevgenija Ņečajeva,Agnese Gailīte,Māra Bleidere,Zaiga Jansone,Dainis Ruņģis

doi:10.3390/plants10020235

Abstract

Avena fatua is an economically detrimental weed found in cereal growing areas worldwide. Knowledge about the variation of dormancy and germination characteristics, as well as of the genetic diversity and structure can provide additional information about different populations within a region. Identification and development of potential indicators or markers of seed germination behavior, would be useful for modelling emergence and seed bank dynamics. This study aimed to describe the initial germination, dormancy, and morphological characteristics of seeds from different Latvian populations of A. fatua and to investigate the genetic structure of local populations. Seed samples from 26 to 41 locations in different regions of Latvia were collected over three years. Seed morphology, initial germination, and the effect of dormancy-breaking treatments were determined. Seeds from 18 Latvian populations with contrasting seed dormancy characteristics were genotyped. Although morphological differences between seeds from different regions were revealed, genetic analysis of the selected populations indicated that the population structure was not related to geographical location, which probably reflects the impact of anthropogenic dispersal of A. fatua seeds. The effect of dormancy-breaking treatments varied between years, between climatic zones and between populations, indicating environmental influences as well as inherited dormancy.

Highlights

Wild oat (Avena fatua L.) is one of the most economically detrimental weed species in cereal growing areas worldwide [1]
Models that predict seed dormancy loss in soil seed bank and germination with high precision have been developed for A. fatua, but the authors have cautioned that empirical data from different regions are necessary to adapt the models for use in these regions [5]
More detailed research is required to understand the heritability of hull characteristics in A. fatua seeds and whether variations in the development of the hull can be predicted from the meteorological data in a particular season

Summary

Introduction

Wild oat (Avena fatua L.) is one of the most economically detrimental weed species in cereal growing areas worldwide [1]. It is a highly variable species and different local ecotypes have evolved as plants have adapted to local climatic conditions [2]. Models that predict seed dormancy loss in soil seed bank and germination with high precision have been developed for A. fatua, but the authors have cautioned that empirical data from different regions are necessary to adapt the models for use in these regions [5]. Answering the following questions would help to understand whether a common model can be used in a particular area or, if not, which of the several developed models should be applied in each case: (1) How different are the levels of dormancy between the populations in the area? (2) Are there regional or other patterns in the germination and dormancy behavior of the seeds? morphological or other markers that indicate germination and dormancy behavior, either specific to a biotype or influenced by the environment of a particular growing season, would be useful for more extensive sampling and characterization of the populations

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