Seed Bank Replenishment Research Articles

Study on Seed Bank Composition and Seedling Emergence Regularity in Placer Iron Ore Soil

The mining of placer iron ore greatly influences the surrounding desert grassland. In Agdala Town, Qinghe County, Xinjiang, the soil seed bank is severely damaged, and the utilization and productivity of desert grasslands are almost zero, which seriously affects the safety of the ecological environment and the development of local animal husbandry. It is very important to supplement soil seed banks to enhance the species composition of desert grasslands after ecological restoration. In this study, the effects of the seed bank, species composition, and seed burial depth on the seedling emergence rate at placer iron ore site before and after artificial seed bank replenishment were compared using the germination tray method. The original soil seed bank in the study area contained only four species, which were all annual plants. The dominant species were Salsola ruthenica and Corispermum orientale, and the soil seed bank density was very small. The emergence regularity of the soil seed bank was closely related to water content, and the emergence of annual vegetation was explosive. Seed burial depth affected the emergence rate of perennial grass, and we determined that a burial depth of 0–5 cm was the most effective for emergence. This indicates that seedling emergence of artificially supplemented soil seed bank can be completed within 7 days if the sowing depth is appropriate; sowing depths greater than 5 cm affect seed germination. These findings provide a basis for selecting species to populate large areas.

Seed rain potential in late-season weed escapes can be estimated using remote sensing

AbstractThe presence of a soil seedbank facilitates the persistence of annual weed species in arable fields. Soil weed seedbank is replenished by many sources, but the largest one is the seeds produced by uncontrolled late-season weed escapes. The estimation of weed seed production potential from late-season escapes may allow farmers to make appropriate management decisions to minimize seedbank replenishment. The objective of this research was to evaluate the feasibility of using unmanned aerial vehicle–based RGB and multispectral imagery for estimating seed rain potential in late-season weed escapes in crop fields. Three case studies were used to capture images of weed escapes before crop harvest: common waterhemp [Amaranthus tuberculatus (Moq.) Sauer] in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], Palmer amaranth [Amaranthus palmeri (S.) Watson] in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), and johnsongrass [Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers.] in soybean. Randomly selected quadrats with different density gradients of weed escapes were sampled at the time of crop maturity. High-resolution RGB and multispectral images of the experimental area were collected using drones immediately before ground sample collection. Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), excess green index (ExG), and canopy volume estimates derived from canopy height models were used to obtain weed biological measurements (biomass and seed production). Among the indices investigated, NDVI and ExG had very strong correlations (0.71 to 0.97) with weed biomass. No specific remote sensing variable was ideal across the three cases examined here, suggesting that a generalized remote sensing approach may not offer robust estimations and case-specific applications are imperative. Nonetheless, drone imagery is a powerful tool for estimating seed production from uncontrolled weed escapes and assisting with management decision making.

Microhabitats associated with solar energy development alter demography of two desert annuals.

Political and economic initiatives intended to increase energy production while reducing carbon emissions are driving demand for solar energy. Consequently, desert regions are now targeted for development of large‐scale photovoltaic solar energy facilities. Where vegetation communities are left intact or restored within facilities, ground‐mounted infrastructure may have negative impacts on desert‐adapted plants because it creates novel rainfall runoff and shade conditions. We used experimental solar arrays in the Mojave Desert to test how these altered conditions affect population dynamics for a closely related pair of native annual plants: rare Eriophyllum mohavense and common E. wallacei. We estimated aboveground demographic rates (seedling emergence, survivorship, and fecundity) over 7 yr and used seed bank survival rates from a concurrent study to build matrix models of population growth in three experimental microhabitats. In drier years, shade tended to reduce survival of the common species, but increase survival of the rare species. In a wet year, runoff from panels tended to increase seed output for both species. Population growth projections from microhabitat‐specific matrix models showed stronger effects of microhabitat under wetter conditions, and relatively little effect under dry conditions (lack of rainfall was an overwhelming constraint). Performance patterns across microhabitats in the wettest year differed between rare and common species. Projected growth of E. mohavense was substantially reduced in shade, mediated by negative effects on aboveground demographic rates. Hence, the rare species were more susceptible to negative effects of panel infrastructure in wet years that are critical to seed bank replenishment. Our results suggest that altered shade and water runoff regimes associated with energy infrastructure will have differential effects on demographic transitions across annual species and drive population‐level processes that determine local abundance, resilience, and persistence.

Reduction of Ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) Natural Re-Sowing with Herbicides and Plant Growth Regulators

Ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) is the main winter weed of crops in Southern Brazil. High competitiveness, adaptability, widespread resistance to herbicides and seed dormancy make the plant a permanent problem. Herbicides, as well as plant growth regulators, can be used as a management option for ryegrass seed production, however there is no consensus among authors at which stage of the plant the application is most effective. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the production and physiological quality of ryegrass seeds in response to the application of herbicides and plant growth regulators in three stages of plant development (inflorescence emergence, flowering and fruit development). Each treatment consisted of applying two different doses of each of the active ingredients: ammonium glufosinate, clethodim, glyphosate, iodosulfuron-methyl, paraquat and 2,4-D (herbicides); ethephon and trinexapac-ethyl (plant growth regulators), still an untreated control, totaling 17 treatments for each stage of development. The experimental design used was randomized blocks, with three replications. The variables evaluated were: seed production (kg ha−1), thousand seed weight (g), viability (%), germination (%), first germination count (%), dormant seeds (%) and dead seeds (%). The ryegrass seed production reduced 100% with clethodim, glyphosate, ammonium glufosinate or paraquat applied in the inflorescence emergence or flowering stages. In the fruit development stage, all treatments (herbicides and plant growth regulators) caused deleterious effects on seed production, the greatest effect occurred with paraquat (95%). Paraquat, ammonium glufosinate and clethodim affected the physiological quality of the seeds when applied in fruit development stage. This research demonstrated that the application of herbicides in the ryegrass reproductive stage decreases its seedbank replenishment (natural re-sowing), with the potential to harm its progeny.

Biology of Brassica tournefortii in the northern grains region of Australia

Brassica tournefortii Gouan. (wild turnip, WT) has become a problematic weed in the no-till production systems of the northern grains region of Australia. Experiments were undertaken using different biotypes of B. tournefortii to examine its phenology, emergence and seedbank persistence. Biotypes were obtained from paddocks of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) (WT1 and WT9) and chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) (WT1/17 and WT2/17). Fresh seeds initially had high dormancy rates and persisted for a short period on the surface. Seedbank persistence increased with burial depth, with 39% of seeds remaining for WT1 and 5% for WT9 after 30 months at 2 cm depth. Persistence of buried seeds varied across biotypes; WT1/17 seedlings also emerged in the second growing season from 2 cm depth. Compared with buried seeds, seedlings readily emerged from the surface (in March–June following increased rainfall) within 6 months of planting. Emergence was greatest on the surface and varied between biotypes and tillage systems; the highest rate recorded was ~14%. Multiple cohorts were produced between February and October. No-till systems produced higher emergence rates than conventional tillage systems. Seedlings of B. tournefortii did not emerge from 5 cm soil depth; therefore, diligent tillage practices without seedbank replenishment could rapidly reduce the presence of this weed. A soil-moisture study revealed that at 25% of water-holding capacity, B. tournefortii tended to produce sufficient seeds for reinfestation in the field. Brassica tournefortii is a cross-pollinated species, and its wider emergence time and capacity to produce enough seeds in a dry environment enable it to become widespread in Australia. Early cohorts (March) tended to have vigorous growth and high reproduction potential. This study found B. tournefortii to be a poor competitor of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), having greater capacity to compete with the slow-growing crop chickpea. Therefore, control of early-season cohorts and use of rotations with a more vigorous crop such as wheat may reduce the seedbank. The information gained in this study will be important in developing better understanding of seed ecology of B. tournefortii for the purpose of developing integrated management strategies.

Development and validation of a simulation model for hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) self-regeneration under different crop rotations

Hairy vetch (HV, Vicia villosa Roth) is a winter annual legume cultivated for pasture grazing, in crop rotations with cereal crops under semi-arid conditions. The inclusion of HV increases soil nitrogen, thus contributing to satisfied the nutrient requirements of the successive crops. As a forage crop, HV shows a remarkable capability for natural reseeding. This study aimed to develop and validate a simulation model to evaluate HV self-regeneration capacity considering different HV–winter cereal crop rotation (pasture-crop phase) scenarios. Predicted HV plant density for the evaluated crop sequences matched observed values. HV yield and seed rain were the most important variables affecting seedbank replenishment and self-regeneration capacity. HV monoculture permits successive natural reseeding to reach a basal stand threshold of 30 plants m−2, required for a productive pasture. In a HV-cereal-HV crop rotation, the HV self-regeneration capacity requires a minimum seed yield of 185 and 240 kg ha−1 at the end of the first season under conventional (CT) and no tillage (NT) systems, respectively. Natural seedbank replenishment would not be enough to establish a productive pasture by self-regeneration after two or more successive years of cereals. From a weed management perspective, HV control should not be a considerable problem as a “volunteer plants” if management practices avoid seed production and seedbank replenishment for at least three consecutive years. These outcomes suggest the potential applicability of the proposed modelling approach within management decision support systems.

Seedbank Persistence of Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) and Waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus) across Diverse Geographical Regions in the United States

AbstractKnowledge of the effects of burial depth and burial duration on seed viability and, consequently, seedbank persistence of Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeriS. Watson) and waterhemp [Amaranthus tuberculatus(Moq.) J. D. Sauer] ecotypes can be used for the development of efficient weed management programs. This is of particular interest, given the great fecundity of both species and, consequently, their high seedbank replenishment potential. Seeds of both species collected from five different locations across the United States were investigated in seven states (sites) with different soil and climatic conditions. Seeds were placed at two depths (0 and 15 cm) for 3 yr. Each year, seeds were retrieved, and seed damage (shrunken, malformed, or broken) plus losses (deteriorated and futile germination) and viability were evaluated. Greater seed damage plus loss averaged across seed origin, burial depth, and year was recorded for lots tested at Illinois (51.3% and 51.8%) followed by Tennessee (40.5% and 45.1%) and Missouri (39.2% and 42%) forA. palmeriandA. tuberculatus, respectively. The site differences for seed persistence were probably due to higher volumetric water content at these sites. Rates of seed demise were directly proportional to burial depth (α=0.001), whereas the percentage of viable seeds recovered after 36 mo on the soil surface ranged from 4.1% to 4.3% compared with 5% to 5.3% at the 15-cm depth forA. palmeriandA. tuberculatus, respectively. Seed viability loss was greater in the seeds placed on the soil surface compared with the buried seeds. The greatest influences on seed viability were burial conditions and time and site-specific soil conditions, more so than geographical location. Thus, management of these weed species should focus on reducing seed shattering, enhancing seed removal from the soil surface, or adjusting tillage systems.

Seedling emergence response of rare arable plants to soil tillage varies by species.

Very little information is available on emergence of rare arable plants (RAP) in relation to soil disturbance and seed burial conditions in Europe. This information is essential to design conservation and soil management strategies to prevent the decline of these species in agroecosystems. The objective of this research was to investigate the effect of soil cultivation with burial time on the emergence and seed persistence of RAP. Seeds of 30 RAP species were collected from Spanish arable fields and subjected to two tillage treatments: (a) no soil disturbance, and (b) autumnal soil disturbance down to 10 cm depth every year. The treatments simulated no-till and tilled (disking), respectively. In plots under no-till, RAP seeds were sown at 1-cm depth. In the tilled plots, seeds were sown homogeneously mixed in the top 1–10 cm of soil. The trial was established every two consecutive seasons, and each trial was maintained for two years. Annual cumulative plant emergence was calculated each year; whereas the first trial was monitored for a third year to estimate seed longevity using a persistence index. The response in emergence of the 30 RAP to annual tillage varied among species. With burial time (number of years), higher emergence was observed for seeds sown in tilled soil. This was true across all species, and with strong season effects. The persistence index was correlated with seed weight, species with bigger seeds had low persistence indices while no pattern was observed for small seeded species. Most RAP species, particularly those with high persistence, showed induction of secondary dormancy processes, highlighting the importance of tillage to promote RAP emergence, and hence, seed bank replenishment. Therefore, as time passes the absence of soil tillage may represent a driver of RAP seed bank decline for those species with secondary dormancy processes. In conclusion, it is important to design soil management strategies, such as regular tillage to promote emergence, on a species basis to preserve RAP in Europe.

Managing glyphosate-resistant common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia): effect of glyphosate-phenoxy tank mixes on growth, fecundity, and seed viability

Common ragweed is one of the most important weeds in the soybean-producing areas of the United States and Canada. Recently, glyphosate-resistant (GR) biotypes have been reported in 15 states and one Canadian province. Reducing the proliferation of GR common ragweed biotypes is complicated by the high fecundity and complex seed germination behavior exhibited by this species. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of late herbicide applications for reducing seed production, seed weight, and seed viability of a GR common ragweed biotype. Herbicide treatments included: water control, glyphosate, 2,4-D, dicamba, 2,4-D plus glyphosate, and dicamba plus glyphosate. Treatments were applied at the appearance of male flower buds (Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt and Chemical industry scale [BBCH] 51) or at the early female flowering stage (BBCH 61 to 63). At BBCH 51, 2,4-D or dicamba applied alone or in a tank mix with glyphosate reduced seed production by an average of 80%. Conversely, seed production following these same treatments applied at BBCH 61 to 63 was not significantly different from when glyphosate was applied alone. At this stage of development, all herbicide treatments reduced seed viability relative to the control; however, treatments containing 2,4-D or dicamba resulted in significantly lower viability than when glyphosate was applied alone. These results suggest that the application of tank mixes containing 2,4-D or dicamba have the potential to limit seed production of GR common ragweed when applied on or before BBCH 51. The development of new technologies that facilitate the in-crop application of tank mixes containing 2,4-D or dicamba may therefore be an effective option for limiting population establishment, seedbank replenishment, and future spread of glyphosate-resistant alleles.

Effect of water availability and seed source on physical dormancy break of Vicia villosa ssp. villosa

AbstractPhysical dormancy (PY) plays a crucial role in the control of the reseeding process of Vicia villosa Roth, a winter annual species cultivated for pasture and hay, naturalized in several semi-arid temperate agroecosystems. As PY is considered a seed trait modulated by natural selection, populations from different origins are expected to show different responses to environmental regulatory factors. The present study aimed to determine the effect of: (1) water availability on PY-break dynamics of a naturalized population from Argentina (ASC) under both laboratory and field conditions; (2) the seed source on initial PY and dormancy release rate (wet storage at 20°C) of ASC compared to 45 other populations of V. villosa, including wild, naturalized, landraces and cultivars. Water availability increased PY loss rate under both storage and field conditions. ASC PY-break dynamics was adequately described by a Gompertz model with a lower thermal-time requirement estimated for dormancy break under fluctuating soil water conditions compared to seeds buried inside impermeable bags. During the field burial experiment, a considerable proportion of seeds (~70%) became water permeable during the summer season after dispersal, and retained low levels of residual PY for soil seed bank replenishment. Improved populations (i.e. breeding cultivars) showed the lowest percentages of initial PY compared to landraces, naturalized and wild populations. Naturalized populations of Argentina showed similar initial PY compared to landraces, although PY release rate was lower in the former and might be attributed to local environmental selection. Wild types showed the lowest PY release rates.

Seeding rate and cultivar effects on canola (Brassica napus) competition with volunteer wheat (Triticum aestivum)

Canola (Brassica napus L.) is an important rotational crop in the temperate cropping zone of southern Australia. Herbicide-resistant weeds are rapidly spreading and reducing canola grain yield and quality. Crop competition is a useful tool for reducing weed costs and dependence on herbicides, and retarding the spread of herbicide resistance. The potential interaction of canola seeding rate and cultivar for weed management has not been quantified in Australia. A field experiment was conducted in three environments to examine the impact of two contrasting canola cultivars (a low vigour type and a high vigour hybrid) at four seeding rates (10–100 plants/m2) on volunteer wheat (~50 plants/m2). Significant but variable effects of crop seeding rate, cultivar and weed were detected on canola density and grain yield, and on the suppression of volunteer wheat. The canola hybrids suppressed volunteer wheat more than the less vigorous cultivars in all the experiments. There was no benefit of increasing canola seeding rate above the normally recommended rate of 40 plants/m2 for weed suppression. The seed production of volunteer wheat on average doubled when canola density dropped from 40 to 10 plants/m2. Treatment effects on canola grain yield losses from weeds were less than those on weed suppression. The grain yield of both cultivars was reduced between 30% and 40% with weeds at a canola density of 40 plants/m2 and plateaued above this density in weedy conditions. Maintaining canola plant establishment and using competitive cultivars is critical to avoiding weed seedbank replenishment, and reducing canola yield losses from weed competition.

Control of Volunteer Glyphosate-Resistant Canola in Glyphosate-Resistant Sugar Beet

Occurrence of glyphosate-resistant (GR) canola volunteers in GR sugar beet is a management concern for growers in the Northern Great Plains. Field experiments were conducted at the Southern Agricultural Research Center near Huntley, MT, in 2011 and 2012 to evaluate effective herbicide programs to control volunteer GR canola in GR sugar beet. Single POST application of triflusulfuron methyl alone at the two-leaf stage of sugar beet was more effective at 35 compared with 17.5 g ai ha−1. However, rate differences were not evident when triflusulfuron methyl was applied as a sequential POST (two-leaf followed by [fb] six-leaf stage of sugar beet) program (17.5 fb 17.5 or 35 fb 35 g ha−1). Volunteer GR canola plants in the sequential POST triflusulfuron methyl–containing treatments produced little biomass (11 to 15% of nontreated plots) but a significant amount of seeds (160 to 661 seeds m−2). Ethofumesate (4,200 g ai ha−1) PRE followed by sequential POST triflusulfuron methyl (17.5 or 35 g ha−1) provided effective control (94 to 98% at 30 d after treatment [DAT]), biomass reduction (97%), and seed prevention of volunteer GR canola. There was no additional advantage of adding either desmedipham + phenmedipham + ethofumesate premix (44.7 g ha−1) or ethofumesate (140 g ha−1) to the sequential POST triflusulfuron methyl–only treatments. The sequential POST ethofumesate-only (140 fb 140 g ha−1) treatment provided poor volunteer GR canola control at 30 DAT, and the noncontrolled plants produced 6,361 seeds m−2, which was comparable to the nontreated control (7,593 seeds m−2). Sequential POST triflusulfuron methyl–containing treatments reduced GR sugar beet root and sucrose yields to 18 and 20%, respectively. Consistent with GR canola control, sugar beet root and sucrose yields were highest (95 and 91% of hand-weeded plots, respectively) when the sequential POST triflusulfuron methyl–containing treatments were preceded by ethofumesate (4,200 g ha−1) PRE. Growers should utilize these effective herbicide programs to control volunteer GR canola in GR sugar beet. Because of high canola seed production potential, as evident from this research, control efforts should be aimed at preventing seed bank replenishment of the GR canola volunteers.

Influence of herbicides applied postharvest in wheat stubble on control, fecundity, and progeny fitness of Kochia scoparia in the US Great Plains

Field, greenhouse, and laboratory experiments were conducted at the Montana State University Southern Agricultural Research Center, Huntley, MT, USA, in 2012 and 2013, to evaluate the effectiveness of various postharvest-applied herbicides on late-season control, fecundity, seed viability, and progeny fitness of Kochia scoparia (kochia) in wheat stubble. Paraquat + atrazine, paraquat + linuron, and paraquat + metribuzin applied at the early bloom stage were the most effective postharvest treatments for late-season control (100%) at 28 d after treatment (DAT), biomass reduction (70–73%), and seed prevention of K. scoparia, and did not differ from glyphosate, glufosinate, saflufenacil + 2, 4-D, saflufenacil + atrazine, tembotrione + atrazine, or topramezone + atrazine treatments. Dicamba alone, dicamba + 2, 4-D, or diflufenzopyr + dicamba + 2, 4-D applied at the early bloom stage were ineffective, with <70% late-season control, <45% biomass reduction, and <55% seed reduction of K. scoparia. In the absence of a postharvest herbicide, uncontrolled kochia plants at a density of 8–10 plants m−2 contributed >100,000 seeds m−2. Addition of atrazine to dicamba improved late-season control (80%) and seed reduction (78%) compared to dicamba alone, and reduced seed viability and 100-seed weight. There was no significant effect of any of the dicamba-containing herbicides applied at the early bloom stage on K. scoparia progeny fitness, including height, width, primary branches, and shoot dry weight of seedlings at 42 d after planting (DAP). The effective postharvest-applied herbicides investigated in this research should be utilized to prevent late-season K. scoparia seed bank replenishment in wheat, and as a component of herbicide resistance management program for the containment of glyphosate- and/or acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibitor-resistant K. scoparia in wheat-based crop rotations in the US Great Plains.

High Seed Retention at Maturity of Annual Weeds Infesting Crop Fields Highlights the Potential for Harvest Weed Seed Control

Seed production of annual weeds persisting through cropping phases replenishes/establishes viable seed banks from which these weeds will continue to interfere with crop production. Harvest weed seed control (HWSC) systems are now viewed as an effective means of interrupting this process by targeting mature weed seed, preventing seed bank inputs. However, the efficacy of these systems is directly related to the proportion of total seed production that the targeted weed species retains (seed retention) at crop maturity. This study determined the seed retention of the four dominant annual weeds of Australian cropping systems - annual ryegrass, wild radish, brome grass, and wild oat. Beginning at the first opportunity for wheat harvest and on a weekly basis for 28 d afterwards the proportion of total seed production retained above a 15 cm harvest cutting height was determined for these weed species present in wheat crops at nine locations across the Western Australian (WA) wheat-belt. Very high proportions of total seed production were retained at wheat crop maturity for annual ryegrass (85%), wild radish (99%), brome grass (77%), and wild oat (84%). Importantly, seed retention remained high for annual ryegrass and wild radish throughout the 28 d harvest period. At the end of this period, 63 and 79% of total seed production for annual ryegrass and wild radish respectively, was retained above harvest cutting height. However, seed retention for brome grass (41%) and wild oat (39%) was substantially lower after 28 d. High seed retention at crop maturity, as identified here, clearly indicates the potential for HWSC systems to reduce seed bank replenishment and diminish subsequent crop interference by the four most problematic species of Australian crops.

Competitive ability of Australian canola (Brassica napus) genotypes for weed management

Canola (Brassica napus L.) is an important break crop in Australian cropping systems but weeds are a major cost to production and herbicide-resistant weeds are spreading. The potential competitive ability of canola genotypes to both suppress weed growth and maintain grain yield and quality in the presence of weeds has not been determined in Australia. Two experiments examined the range in competitive ability of 16 B. napus genotypes against annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum Gaud.) and volunteer wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) over two contrasting seasons. Weed biomass at flowering was generally reduced 50% more in the presence of the strongly competitive genotypes than the least competitive, and this has significant benefits for lower weed seed production and reduced seedbank replenishment. Suppression of weed growth was negatively correlated with crop biomass. Significant differences in grain yield of canola were recorded between weedy and weed-free plots, depending on crop genotype, presence of weeds and season. Crop yield tolerance (where 0% = no tolerance and 100% = complete tolerance) to ryegrass competition ranged from 0% (e.g. with CB-Argyle) to 30–40% (e.g. with the hybrids 46Y78 and Hyola-50) in the dry season of 2009. Yield tolerance was higher (50–100%) with the lower densities of volunteer wheat and in the 2010 season. The range between genotypes was similar for both conditions. The hybrids and AV-Garnet were higher yielding and more competitive than the triazine-tolerant cultivars. The ranking of genotypes for competitiveness was strongly influenced by seasonal conditions; some genotypes were consistently more competitive than others. Competitive crops are a low-cost tactic for integrated weed management to reduce dependence on herbicides and retard the spread of herbicide-resistant weeds.

Influence of Late-Season Herbicide Applications on Control, Fecundity, and Progeny Fitness of Glyphosate-Resistant Palmer Amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) Biotypes from Arkansas

Experiments were conducted in 2008 and 2009 in Fayetteville, AR, to determine the influence of late-season herbicide applications on control, seed reduction, seed viability, and seedling fitness of two glyphosate-resistant (GR) Palmer amaranth biotypes, one from Mississippi County (MC) and the other from Lincoln County (LC) in Arkansas. Glyphosate (870 g ae ha−1), glufosinate (820 g ai ha−1), 2,4-D amine (1,060 g ae ha−1), dicamba (280 g ae ha−1), and pyrithiobac (70 g ai ha−1) were each applied at the first visible sign of inflorescence of GR Palmer amaranth plants. Glufosinate, 2,4-D, and dicamba provided 52 to 74% control of MC GR Palmer amaranth plants 28 d after treatment (DAT). The LC biotype was larger (94 cm tall) than the MC biotype was (64 cm tall) at application and was more difficult to control. Although control of GR Palmer amaranth was inadequate, late-season applications of glufosinate, 2,4-D, and dicamba reduced seed production of the LC biotype by 75 to 87% and production of the MC biotype by 94 to 95% compared with nontreated plants. Irrespective of biotypes, glufosinate, 2,4-D, and glyphosate reduced 100-seed weight by 22% compared with the nontreated control, and viability of seeds produced by treated plants was only 45 to 61% compared with 97% seed viability in nontreated plants. Glyphosate, glufosinate, 2,4-D, or dicamba reduced cumulative seedling emergence by an average of 84% compared with the nontreated check. Seedling biomass was four times greater for the LC than for the MC biotype, suggesting greater vigor and fitness for the LC progeny. This research demonstrates that a single, late-season (early inflorescence stage) application of glufosinate, 2,4-D, or dicamba could potentially reduce seedbank replenishment of GR Palmer amaranth. Additionally, reduction in seed weight, viability, and seedling recruitment would impair the success of GR Palmer amaranth progeny in the following season.

Biomass, Fecundity, and Interference Ability of Multiple Herbicide-Resistant and -Susceptible Late Watergrass (Echinochloa phyllopogon)

Echinochloa phyllopogonis a serious weed of California rice that has evolved resistance to most grass herbicides. We assessed differences in growth, interference, and fecundity between multiple resistant (R) and susceptible (S)E. phyllopogon. Interference with rice by R and S plants was similar, although R plants were shorter and had less leaf area and shoot biomass than S plants. Interference by one S or RE. phyllopogonplant with rice was 2.31 or 2.45 times greater than intraspecific interference by one rice plant, respectively. Interference was mostly driven by root interactions andE. phyllopogonon average produced seven times more root dry weight than rice. DeeperE. phyllopogonroot placement compared with rice may explain niche differentiation between the two species. On average, R plants produced 55% less seeds than S plants. Lower fecundity could compromise fitness of R plants in the absence of herbicide selection, but partial avoidance of seed removal during rice harvest through earlier seed shattering may allow greater soil seed bank replenishment by R plants compared with S plants.E. phyllopogoncontrol is needed to prevent high rice yield losses, and suppressing survivors of initial herbicide treatments is essential to limit seed bank replenishment by R plants. The potential benefits of taller rice varieties with enhanced root competitiveness, and that may be harvested earlier, should be considered.

Persistence of seed banks in Australian temporary wetlands

Summary 1. The ability of seeds to survive periods of drying and wetting that do not lead to seed production will determine the potential species pool for future plant communities of temporary wetlands. I investigated characteristics of the seed banks in sediment from Australian temporary wetlands that might contribute to the ability of aquatic plants to re-establish after extended drought. 2. Experimental investigation into germination from sediment from six sites in five Australian temporary wetlands, with various water regimes, examined two sources of seed bank depletion: (i) length of time dry (longevity up to 12 years) and (ii) successive annual wetting and germination events (up to seven) with intervening periods dry (leaving a residual seed bank), both without any opportunity for replenishment of the seed bank. 3. These wetlands had species-rich, long-lived seed banks that were not exhausted by successive germination events. After three years of dry storage, 90% of the original seed bank species germinated, after six years 75% and after 12 years 20%. After seven successive wetting and drying events without seed bank replenishment, 48% of the original species still germinated. The mean survival time dry for seed bank species, 7.4 years, was longer than the duration of recent droughts. 4. Seed bank composition varied among wetlands and over time; most species did not occur in all wetlands and many occurred in one wetland only. The germination patterns of different species, although differing in detail, tended to be consistent in that all species could survive long dry periods and several wetting and drying events. However, experimental drought significantly diminished species richness and abundance, indicating limits to seed bank persistence. 5. Data from such long-term studies of seed bank persistence should allow prediction of the species richness and composition of the germinating communities in a wetland whose water regime is intentionally or unintentionally altered. This ability to forecast may become particularly important under climate change and the need to predict future wetland conditions.

Seed-bank convergence under different tree species during forest development

Abstract Seed banks are of vital importance for local plant persistence and recruitment, for maintaining both plant and genetic diversity and for habitat restoration. Yet, seed-bank dynamics, particularly on the long term and in deciduous forests, remain poorly understood. Additionally, information on compositional seed-bank differences under contrasting tree canopies remains scarce. This study aims at quantifying long-term seed-bank dynamics by sampling vegetation and seed banks along a four-stage successional chronosequence (40, 80, 120 and 250 years) using 12 10 m×10 m plots per forest stand age–class under fully developed oak–hornbeam and beech canopies. Seed banks were remarkably abundant and diverse. Species richness and seed density declined steeply with forest stand age, regardless of canopy species. Seed-bank composition differed significantly with stand age, yet also with tree species. Most likely, tree species-dependent ecosystem engineer effects on light availability and possibly also litter quality affect the seed bank through the vegetation. Compositional differences between seed banks from stands with a different canopy diminished with increasing stand age, possibly due to a gradual loss of species with a less persistent seed bank. Long-term seed-bank dynamics in deciduous forests seem to consist predominantly of a unidirectional and predictable depletion of the seed bank as long as large disturbances, which would allow seed-bank replenishment of early-successional species, are lacking. Furthermore, forest seed-banks appear to converge upon a characteristic seed bank in the later stages of forest development, irrespective of canopy composition, driven by seed-bank depletion and limited input from the herb layer.

Venice Mallow (Hibiscus trionum) Interference in Sugarbeet

Field studies were conducted in Powell, WY, in 2006 and 2007 to determine the influence of season-long interference of various Venice mallow densities and duration of interference on sugarbeet. Sucrose concentration was not affected by Venice mallow interference. The effect of Venice mallow density on sugarbeet root and sucrose yield loss was described by the rectangular hyperbola model. Root and sucrose yield loss increased as Venice mallow density increased. The estimated asymptote,A(percent yield loss as density approaches infinity) was 61% for both root and sucrose yield loss, and the estimated parameter,I(percent yield loss per unit weed density as density approaches zero) was 6% for both root and sucrose yield loss. Sugarbeet root yield decreased as the duration of Venice mallow interference increased. The critical timing of weed removal to avoid 5 and 10% root yield loss was 30 and 43 d after sugarbeet emergence, respectively. Results show that Venice mallow is competitive with sugarbeet implying that it should be managed appropriately to reduce negative effects on yield and prevent seed bank replenishment and re-infestation in subsequent years.