Weed problems and their management in rice fields of Malaysia: An overview

The available literature on weed problems and weed control in rice fields in Malaysia is reviewed and suggestions for future research are included. The problem of weed competition with rice is of great economic importance in the country because it causes a 10–35% reduction in grain yield. About US$4.10 million is spent annually on herbicides for rice alone, and this amounts to approximately 7% of the total expenditure on herbicides. The shift in methods of rice culture from transplanting to direct seeding has magnified the weed problem. The problem of weedy rice is particularly acute in the direct-seeding rice areas. Although a number of sulfonylurea herbicides (e.g. cinosulfuron, metsulfuron, bensulfuron and pyrazosulfuron) have been found to be suitable alternatives to the old herbicide 2,4-D, an integrated weed management program must be developed in order to reduce the problem of herbicide resistance in weeds. Weed control methods that are more friendly to the environment and affordable to farmers must be sought. Weed-competitive and allelopathic rice varieties must be produced. The problem of weeds in rice calls for systematic studies on biotechnological methods of control of weedy rice. Detailed studies on the biology and ecology of notorious rice weeds, particularly Oryza sativa L. (weedy rice), Echinochloa spp., Leptochloa chinensis (L.) Nees, Fimbristylis miliacea (L.) Vahl. and Limnocharis flava (L.) Buch. need to be done in order to formulate successful weed control measures.     

Evaluation of the allelopathic potential of Kava (Piper methysticum L.) for weed control in rice

Kava is a perennial pepper plant from the Oceanic region, which is commonly used as a drink by natives and for pharmacological purposes. Results of this study concluded that Kava has allelopathic potential and suppressed germination and growth of lettuce ( Lactuca sativa L), barnyardgrass ( E. crus-galli Beauv var. formosensis Ohwi.), and duck-tongue weed ( M. vaginalis Presl var. plantaginea Solms-Laub.) Moreover, Kava inhibited emergence of weeds in paddy soils. The inhibition of Kava became stronger as the applied concentration increased. In a greenhouse experiment, Kava had the greatest inhibition on emergence and weed growth in paddy soils when a dose of 1 ton ha⁻¹ of Kava was divided and applied at 3, 16, and 23 days after watering. Inhibition by Kava varied among weed species. Results from this study suggest that Kava might be useful for weed control in rice or reduce dependence on herbicide.     

Weed control with alfalfa pellets in transplanting rice

Alfalfa [ Medicago sativa L. ( M. media , M. falcate )] plants contain allelochemicals that have detrimental effects on their own growth and that of surrounding plants. Alfalfa pellets, used as a food for livestock, were used as the material for the control of weeds in this study. In a greenhouse experiment, alfalfa pellets applied at 1–3 tons ha⁻¹ completely inhibited the emergence of abunome ( Doparium junceum Hamilt.), false pimpernel ( Lindernia pyxidaria L.), and long stemmed water wort ( Elatine trianda Schk. var. pedicellata Krylov) The number and the dry weight of emerged Echinochloa oryzicola plants were significantly reduced. Application of 3 tons ha⁻¹ alfalfa pellets completely inhibited the emergences of Eleocharis acicularis and Rotala indica. Results demonstrated that the inhibitory effect of alfalfa pellets became greater as the dose increased, and it also varied among weed species. Furthermore, the paddy field experiment suggested that the dose of 1–2 tons ha⁻¹ of alfalfa pellets could control more weed species without any rice plant injury.     

Effect of allelopathic rice varieties combined with cultural management options on paddy field weeds

BACKGROUND: A number of techniques, including cultural management, allelopathy and bioherbicide, have been considered as alternatives for synthetic herbicides, but successful weed control will require the careful integration of these multiple techniques. This study was conducted to assess the use of allelopathic rice varieties in combination with cultural management options on paddy weeds, in order to develop an allelopathy-based technique to reduce herbicide use in paddies. RESULTS: The weed-suppressive effects of the rice varieties tested varied highly with allelopathic trait, planting pattern and cultural management including planting density, flooding depth and duration and supply of nitrogen. Allelopathic rice varieties PI312777 and Huagan-1 demonstrated much stronger weed suppression than the non-allelopathic variety Huajianxian under the same planting pattern and cultural management. Their weed-suppressive effect was increased with cultural management options. In particular, if integrated cultural management options of allelopathic rice varieties included a low-dose (bensulfuron-methyl, 25 g AI ha(-1), a third of the recommended dose) herbicide application, the emergence and growth of most weeds found in paddy fields was completely controlled. No grain yield reduction for allelopathic varieties occurred under integrated cultural management options, whereas with the non-allelopathic variety a reduction of up to 45-60% was measurable even with the low-dose herbicide application. CONCLUSION: The allelopathic potential of rice varieties will likely have a great impact on paddy weed control if integrated with cultural management options and application of low doses of herbicides. Therefore, it is feasible to reduce herbicide input in paddies if allelopathic rice is grown under integrated cultural management practices.     

Use of phytotoxic rice crop residues for weed management

There is a general perception among Cambodian rice (Oryza sativa) farmers that, after harvesting, rice crop residues that are incorporated into the field benefit the growth of the subsequent rice crop. However, the effect of this action upon weed establishment and growth has not yet been considered. A series of pot and field trials were conducted to determine whether such action could inhibit weed establishment and/or growth. The pot studies first evaluated the response of the test plant (rice line ST‐3) and three weed species, barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus‐galli), small umbrella sedge (Cyperus difformis), and water primrose (Ludwigia octovalves), to the residue of 16 rice lines and the field trials were later conducted to evaluate the response of the same test plants to the residue of seven putatively allelopathic rice lines and one non‐allelopathic rice line. The residue of all the studied rice lines, depending on how long they had been incorporated into the soil, reduced the establishment and growth of all three weed species, as well as the rice crop. However, if the residue's incorporation was delayed by 2 weeks or only a proportion of the residue was incorporated, the rice crop could withstand the growth‐inhibiting effect, while the inhibition of the establishment and growth of the three weed species was retained. These responses of rice and the weeds to rice crop residues might provide a basis for a weed management strategy, particularly in the resource‐poor rice‐production systems of Cambodia.     

Allelopathic potential of indigenous Bangladeshi rice varieties

A series of experiments was conducted in the laboratory and greenhouse of the Subtropical Field Science Center, University of the Ryukyus, Japan, from April to October 2015 to assess the allelopathic potential of 50 indigenous Bangladeshi rice varieties by using the donor–receiver bioassay, equal compartment agar method (ECAM), plant residue extract method and pot culture method. Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), cress (Lepidium sativum L.), radish (Raphanus sativus L.), barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus‐galli L. Beauv.) and jungle rice (Echinochloa colona L.) were used as the test plants. The highest inhibition effect was given by Boterswar, while the stimulating effect was given by Kartikbalam and Panbira in the donor–receiver bioassay and ECAM tests. Boterswar, Goria, Biron and Kartiksail were selected as the highest allelopathic‐potential varieties by the donor–receiver bioassay and ECAM. In the methanol extract test, Boterswar gave the strongest inhibitory effect on both barnyard grass and jungle rice, while Kartiksail gave the highest inhibitory effect on the jungle rice shoot. The growth parameters and total dry matter of barnyard grass in the greenhouse pot experiment were significantly reduced as a result of the application of aqueous extracts of the selected rice varieties, which was similar to the results of the laboratory experiments. The varieties of Boterswar, Goria, Biron and Kartiksail were selected as the most allelopathic among the 50 indigenous Bangladeshi rice varieties. These rice varieties could be used for the isolation and identification of allelochemicals and to further develop new varieties that are tolerant to weeds.     

Performance of Bangladesh indigenous rice in a weed infested field and separation of allelopathy from resource competition

This study aimed to identify the potential allelopathic indigenous rice (Oryza sativa L. ssp. indica) varieties from Bangladesh using a performance study in a weed‐infested field and to assess the extent of allelopathic interference relative to resource competition in a glasshouse experiment. Six varieties – namely, “Boterswar,” “Goria,” “Biron” and “Kartiksail” as the most allelopathic, “Hashikolmi” as weakly allelopathic and “Holoi” as nonallelopathic – were raised following a nonweed control method. The infestation levels of weed species were calculated using Simpson's Diversity Index (SDI), which ranged from 0.2 to 0.56. However, a significant correlation coefficient (0.87, P < 0.001) was obtained from these field data compared with the root inhibition percentage from the laboratory bioassay, and the “Boterswar” variety was the most allelopathic. The interactions between the allelopathic variety “Boterswar,” weakly allelopathic variety “Hashikolmi” and Echinochloa oryzicola via a target (rice)‐adjacent (E. oryzicola) cogrowth culture were determined in a hydroponic arrangement. The relative competitive intensity (RCI) and the relative neighbor effect (RNE) values showed that the crop–weed interaction was facilitation for “Boterswar” and competition for “Hashikolmi” and E. oryzicola in rice/E. oryzicola cogrowth cultures. The allelopathic effects of “Boterswar” were much higher than the resource competition in rice/E. oryzicola cogrowth cultures. The converse was observed for “Hashikolmi.” Moreover, the mineral content of E. oryzicola was severely affected by “Boterswar”/E. oryzicola cogrowth cultures’ exudate solution. Therefore, the allelopathic potential of “Boterswar” variety might be useful for developing the weed‐suppressing capacity of rice, which will likely have a significant influence on paddy weed control.     

Allelopathic potential of Cambodian rice lines under field conditions

A series of field experiments was conducted during 1999 and 2000 to study the effect of six Cambodian rice lines that had been selected for their allelopathic potential on the growth of three weed species (barnyardgrass, small umbrella sedge, and water primrose). The results from 2 years' study demonstrate that powerful weed‐establishment and growth‐suppressive mechanisms were present in all of the rice lines tested. This mechanism was equally active on all three weed species studied. Across all the rice lines and across all the weed species, weed establishment was reduced by 71%, the final plant height was reduced by 49%, and the dry biomass was reduced by 80%. A tentative comparison between the effects of the Cambodian rice lines and those of previously characterized allelopathic and non‐allelopathic rice lines revealed that approximately three‐quarters of the weed growth suppression in the Cambodian lines could be attributed to resource competition and one‐quarter could be attributed to allelopathy, although this analysis did not take into account morphological differences between the two types of rice. Such weed growth‐suppressing activity could be particularly useful in subsistence farming systems where the use of selective herbicides is prohibitive or when organic rice production is the objective. The use of rice lines that suppress the growth of weeds is likely to be a potent supplement to present weed management practises and will reduce production costs and the potential for environmental pollution, as well as alleviate some of the social constraints that are associated with labor‐intensive manual weeding.     

Potential allelopathic rice lines for weed management in Cambodian rice production

In Cambodia, the planting of rice lines with a competitive and/or allelopathic ability would be a very useful way to supplement weed management in the rain‐fed, low‐input production systems. The present study examines a wide range of rice germplasm, mainly from Cambodia, and uses a series of bioassay techniques to identify those that might have a weed growth‐suppressing, allelopathic trait. A laboratory bioassay study that involved 359 rice lines showed that there were 15 that could significantly reduce the growth of awnless barnyard grass seedlings. In a second laboratory bioassay, involving the best 96 rice lines that were identified in the first study, 14 were shown to suppress the shoot growth of awnless barnyard grass, 11 could suppress the shoot growth of barnyard grass, six could suppress the shoot growth of small umbrella sedge, four could suppress the shoot growth of two‐leaf fimbristylis, four could suppress the shoot growth of water primrose, and three could suppress the shoot growth of gooseweed. Of the 13 rice lines that were able to suppress the growth of at least two weed species, there were three lines that could suppress the growth of three weed species, one line that could suppress the growth of four weed species, and one line that could suppress the growth of five weed species. In a third soil‐based, pot bioassay that studied the 18 best lines coming from the second laboratory bioassay, all showed a significant weed growth‐suppressive ability. A linear regression analysis showed that there was no correlation between their weed growth‐suppressive ability and their physical seedling size, supporting the idea that the growth suppression was allelopathic in nature and not a physical competition effect. In summary, the results indicate that an allelopathic trait does exist in some Cambodian rice lines and that this trait is effective in the growth suppression of a number of major rice weeds.     

Weedy rice represents an emerging threat to transplanted rice production systems in Japan

Weedy rice is a conspecific weed of cultivated rice (Oryza sativa L.) and is a primary weed of direct‐seeded rice production systems worldwide. The shift in the method of establishing rice, that is, from transplanting to direct seeding, is considered the main reason for the emergence of weedy rice in Asia and, more recently, Japan. Japan has increasingly adopted directly seeded rice, even though this practice remains limited. In this study, I confirmed the relationship between weedy red rice emergence and the adoption of direct‐seeded rice in Japan. Twenty‐seven areas from eight prefectures infested with weedy rice were selected to confirm the relationship between the rice planting method and the emergence of weedy rice. Fields that were severely infested with weedy rice were selected as survey fields for this study. I found no relationship between the method of planting rice and weedy rice emergence. Changes to herbicide application, duration of rice production and hand weeding also contribute to the emergence of weedy rice in transplanted rice fields in Japan. The results of this study indicate that weedy rice could become a serious problem in Japan, even in transplanted rice fields.     

Chemical control of weedy rice in precise hill‐direct‐seeded rice in South China

Precise hill‐direct‐seeded rice, which is both cost‐ and labor‐saving, is based on the direct seeding of rice by using a precision rice hill‐drop drilling machine. Weedy rice (Oryza sativa f. spontanea), also known as “red rice”, is a major weed in precise hill‐direct‐seeded rice, causing an ≤80% yield loss and a reduction in grain quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the control efficiency of weedy rice by pretilachlor (a pre‐emergence herbicide) and fenclorim (a safener) and their safety for precise hill‐direct‐seeded rice in two consecutive years. The amount of rice seed germination was accelerated by soaking the seeds in the safener at 0.67 g ai L^?1 for 1 h before sowing. The pre‐emergence pretilachlor treatments were applied 2 days after sowing cultured rice. The inhibition of the shoot fresh weight of the cultured rice was reduced by 3.3, 6.4 and 7.4% with 450, 900 and 1350 g ai ha^?1 of pretilachlor at 32 days after sowing (DAS) and that of the root fresh weight was reduced by 2.6, 4.9 and 8.1%, respectively. With fenclorim and pretilachlor in a precise hill‐direct‐seeded rice field in 2010 and 2011, the weedy rice control efficiency at 32 DAS was reduced by 100 and 98.0%, respectively. The pre‐emergence pretilachlor treatments that were applied at 2 DAS were much more efficient in the weedy rice control and less inhibitory to the cultured rice growth. The rice yield was increased by 26.1–26.7% in the mechanical precise hill‐direct‐seeded rice, relative to the manual‐seeding rice, with the application of fenclorim and pretilachlor.     

Breeding of commercially acceptable allelopathic rice cultivars in China

BACKGROUND: One promising area of paddy weed control is the potential for exploiting the weed‐suppressing ability of rice. This study was conducted to develop commercially acceptable allelopathic rice cultivars using crosses between allelopathic rice variety PI312777 and commercial Chinese cultivars (N2S, N9S, Huahui354, Peiai64S and Tehuazhan35), and to assess their weed suppression and grain yield in paddy fields in relation to their parents. RESULTS: There was a positive dominance in the crosses Huahui354 × PI312777 and N2S × PI312777 but recessive or negative dominance in N9S × PI312777, Peiai64S × PI312777 and Tehuazhan35 × PI312777. Huahui354 × PI312777 and N2S × PI312777 showed stronger weed suppression than their parents and other crosses. Finally, an F₈ line with an appearance close to Huahui354 and a magnitude of weed suppression close to PI312777 was obtained from Huahui354 × PI312777. This line, named Huagan‐3, was released as a first commercially acceptable allelopathic rice cultivar in China. The grain yield and quality of Huagan‐3 met the commercial standard of the local rice industry. Huagan‐3 greatly suppressed paddy weeds, although suppression was influenced by year‐to‐year variation and plant density. There was no certain yield reduction in Huagan‐3 even under a slight infestation of barnyard grass in paddy fields. CONCLUSION: The successful breeding of Huagan‐3 with high yield and strong weed suppression may be incorporated into present rice production systems to minimise the amount of herbicide used. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

水稻化感物质的代谢途径及基因调控

水稻化感作用和竞争作用是水稻抑草的两个方面,化感作用是通过水稻植株向环境中释放化感物质实现对杂草的生长抑制作用。水稻化感作用的物质主要有4大类:酚类、萜类、含氮化合物和其他化感物质。水稻酚类化感物质的代谢物质为莽草酸和乙酸-丙二酸;类萜是由乙酰CoA经甲羟戊酸和异戊二烯焦磷酸(IPP)转化而来的,类萜生物合成中起作用的是IPP;含氮化感物质是由不同的氯基酸衍生来的。很多植物次生物质产生的酶基因已得到了克隆。紫外光处理水稻化感材料后12 h和24 h,被诱导的苯丙氨酸氨基裂合酶(PAL)、肉桂酸-4-羟化酶(CA4H)和二萜环化酶的酶活力比紫外光处理的无化感作用水稻中的要高2-4倍。用胁迫相关酶的编码基因对水稻的化感作用进行基因调控研究是探明产生水稻化感物质基因的重要策略。     

Evaluation of rice allelopathy in hydroponics

The inhibitory activity of water extracts from the shoots and roots of three rice cultivars, Taichung native 1 (TN1) and IAC165 (both allelopathic rice) and AUS196 (non-allelopathic rice), grown in hydroponics was evaluated. The release of germination inhibitors by allelopathic rice plants into hydroponic solution was also determined with freshly collected solution and XAD-4 resin desorbate. The degree of the inhibition was quantified in terms of root growth in Echinochloa colona, Echinochloa crus-galli, Echinochloa crus-galli var. oryzicola, Triantema portulacastrum and Lactuca sativa. The allelopathic activity of rice was species specific, and depended on source and concentration. Root length of all test species was inhibited by the different concentrations of shoot extract of allelopathic and non-allelopathic rice. However, of the three cultivars, TN1 showed higher inhibition than IAC165 and AUS196 in all test species. Water extracts of shoots and roots significantly inhibited root growth in E. crus-galli but the shoot extract gave a greater inhibitory effect on E. crus-galli than the root extract. Root exudate of TN1 inhibited root elongation of E. crus-galli from 2 weeks after transplanting (WAT) and the inhibition continued for 4 WAT. The results confirmed the previous finding of a laboratory bioassay that the TN1 had allelopathic activity and produced allelochemicals that inhibit growth of some weed species.     

Weed suppression ability of upland rice under low-input conditions in West Africa

Weeds are a major constraint to upland rice production in west Africa. The objectives of this investigation were to study differences in weed suppression ability among upland rice cultivars and to determine the morphological traits involved. Twelve contrasting cultivars, including West African indigenous Oryza glaberrima (Steudel) lines and traditional and improved O. sativa L., were cultivated under natural weed competition and low-input conditions in Côte d'Ivoire in two seasons. Significant differences between cultivars were observed in weed biomass at 100 days after seeding (DAS) in 1994 and 1995, indicating differences in their competitive ability. Weed biomass was negatively correlated with rice root growth at early growth stages and with rice shoot and root growth at later growth stages. Across cultivars, grain yields with a single hand-weeding were 60% in 1994 and 49% in 1995 of those in plots that were weeded regularly. High grain yields in weedy plots were associated with low weed biomass. IG 10, an O. glaberrima cultivar, was the most competitive against weeds.     

Weed control in irrigated dry seeded rice

Large losses in grain yields due to weed competition were found in studies conducted in irrigated dry seeded rice at Gezira Research Station, Sudan. These losses could exceed 50%. Weed competition lowered panicle number per unit area by 37%, number of filled grains per panicle by 13%, and weight of 1000 grains by 4%. Tillering was the critical growth phase most affected by weed competition. Grain yields were increased as number of hand weedings increased. The best yield (4.1 t/ha) was obtained from 3–4 weedings carried out at 15, 30, 45 and 60 days after rice emergence. Oxadiazon (0.5 kg/ha) gave good residual weed control of the dominant weed species, Phyllanthus niruri L., Leucas urticifolia L., Heliotropium F.W.Andr. and Echinochloa colona (L.) Link, for 6–7 weeks. The combination with continuous flooding from 6 weeks after rice emergence gave excellent weed control during the entire season, and comparable or even better yields than frequently weeded rice.     

Effects of Azolla species on weed emergence in a rice paddy ecosystem

The effects of Azolla pinnata R. Br. on weed emergence were evaluated in terms of plot area coverage by an A. pinnata mat, its biomass production and the amount of weed emergence, using fresh and dry weights, in a rice paddy field experiment. The experiment was conducted following a randomized block design with five combinations of fertilizer and A. pinnata treatments (control, A. pinnata  + superphosphate, A. pinnata  + urea, A. pinnata  + compound fertilizer, A. pinnata  + cow manure). The results revealed that after 18 days of inoculation, all superphosphate (T1) and cow manure (T4)-treated plots were fully covered by the A. pinnata mat. However, coverage of the urea (T2) and compound fertilizer (T3)-treated plots were only 80% and 70%, respectively. The full plot area coverage by the A. pinnata mat and the highest biomass production with superphosphate and cow manure-treated plots were able to completely inhibit two weed species ( Scirpus juncoides Roxb. var. hotarui Ohwi and Monochoria vaginalis Burm. f. Presl var. plantaginea (Roxb.) Solms-Laub) and significantly suppressed four other weeds ( Cyperus serotinus Rottb, Echinochla oryzicola Vasing, and Eclipta prostrata L.). In all the treatments, the fresh weight of weeds significantly reduced to 13, 29, 34, and 9%, respectively, for treatments T1, T2, T3, and T4. The dry weights also were significantly reduced to 10.00, 16.00, 22.00, and 7.26%, respectively, for treatments T1, T2, T3, and T4 over the control. The results revealed that there was a significant correlation among plot area coverage by the A. pinnata mat, its biomass production and weed emergence in a rice paddy field over the control. Azolla pinnata did not have any detrimental effect on the growth of rice plants.     

噁草酮防除直播稻田杂草稻的施用技术

为确立噁草酮防除直播稻田杂草稻的施用技术,通过温室盆栽试验比较了噁草酮在不同土壤水分环境下对栽培稻的安全性及对杂草稻的防效,并在大田中比较了不同直播方式下其对杂草稻的防效及栽培稻产量的影响。结果表明,透气条件下,噁草酮对栽培稻的药害最低,但对杂草稻的防效也较差;饱和水分条件下对杂草稻防效较好,150 g(a.i.)/hm~2时其出苗率和鲜重的抑制率达89.61%和61.87%,超过450 g(a.i.)/hm~2时完全抑制出苗;但药后播种对栽培稻安全性较高,600 g(a.i.)/hm~2下对其出苗率和鲜重的抑制率仅分别为38.06%和39.96%,播后施药的药害较重,最低剂量150 g(a.i.)/hm~2时抑制率已分别达88.77%和45.52%;淹水条件下,虽对杂草稻有100%的防效,但也完全抑制栽培稻出苗。大田施用噁草酮300、450、600 g(a.i.)/hm~2,旱直播和水直播方式下杂草稻株防效分别为26.88%、43.54%、44.45%和84.88%、85.74%、90.92%;鲜重防效分别为11.58%、20.16%、27.33%和30.86%、53.68%、80.15%。旱直播和水直播方式下施用量分别超过450、300 g/hm~2时栽培稻产量显著增加。综合分析,推荐水直播整地后泥水状态施用300 g(a.i.)/hm~2噁草酮,水层落干后播种,保持土壤湿润且土表不出现水渍,栽培稻顺利出苗后及时上水且不淹没苗心为宜。     

农艺措施和除草剂用量对化感稻产量及杂草生物量的影响

为实现水稻生产减施除草剂的目标,将化感材料与农艺措施相结合取得对稻田杂草有效控制的效果,田间采用再裂区试验法研究了化感稻3号和N两优201两个水稻化感材料和非化感材料五山丝苗在不同水分管理、移栽密度和除草剂不同用量下,对水稻产量和田间杂草生物量的影响。结果表明:无论早季稻田还是晚季稻田,施用常规除草剂量的小区杂草生物量均为0,施用常规剂量50%除草剂且仅在孕穗期晒田的小区和常规密度小区有少量杂草发生。不施除草剂的水稻材料小区杂草生物量依次为化感稻3号N两优201五山丝苗。移栽后75 d,不施除草剂的小区相同水稻材料孕穗期不晒田比晒田处理、高密度比常规密度处理的杂草生物量小。早季稻田不晒田和高密度提高了水稻的产量,晚季稻田则相反。化感材料化感稻3号和N两优201在田间的抑草效果较五山丝苗要好。在水稻生产中,水稻化感材料结合农艺措施,可以实现水稻不减产,田间杂草得到有效控制,除草剂量减50%的目标。     

Germination ecology of Leptochloa chinensis: a new weed in the Italian rice agro-environment

Leptochloa chinensis is a new weed that has been found with increasing frequency in Italian rice paddies. The germination ecology of L. chinensis seeds was studied in order to investigate the development mechanisms and survival strategy of this weed in rice paddies of northern Italy. Leptochloa chinensis seeds showed no dormancy and exhibited germination even in anoxic conditions. Germination was strongly influenced by temperature (minimum around 15°C; optimal 25–35°C) and light (phytochrome dependent). Temperature fluctuation caused an increase of seed germination in the dark. Seed burial also strongly inhibited germination and emergence of this species. At 5 cm seed burial only 5% of seedlings emerged in flooded conditions, while at the same depth, but with no flooding, no seedling emergence was observed. This phenomenon was not due to oxygen depletion, as germination was not inhibited by complete anoxia, as demonstrated by the fact that some seedlings did emerge in flooding conditions when water was no deeper than 6 cm. Seed burial and concomitant flooding induced an unusual germination: first coleoptile emergence and subsequently emergence of the radicle was observed. The possible exploitation of this knowledge for weed management is discussed.