Effects of soil and crop management practices and pedo‐hydrological conditions on the seedbank size of Galinsoga spp. in organic vegetable fields

Galinsoga quadriradiata and Galinsoga parviflora are very troublesome weeds in many organic vegetable crops in Europe. A very straightforward method to keep Galinsoga infestations under control is by targeting the Galinsoga seedbank. To identify cropping systems able to reduce the seedbank size in vegetable‐based cropping systems, the relationships between the seedbank size of Galinsoga species and prevailing soil/crop management practices and pedo‐hydrological conditions were investigated. Hereto, the seedbank of the 0–20 cm topsoil layer was sampled in 50 organic vegetable fields and analysed according to the seedling emergence method. Field history data were collected for the past 5 years, and physical, chemical and microbial soil quality was determined. Galinsoga quadriradiata was the most frequent and abundant Galinsoga species in the weed seedbank. The genus Galinsoga was present in 90% of the soil weed seedbanks of organic vegetable fields but displayed wide variation in abundance. Smallest Galinsoga seedbanks were found in fields that were predominantly tilled with non‐inversion implements or rotationally ploughed, and continuously cropped with competitive crops during the entire growing season (April 15‐November 15). Contrary to G. quadriradiata, seedbank size of G. parviflora was closely related to soil organic carbon content and sand fraction. Remarkably, soils with a low level of easily plant‐available phosphorus and concomitant high activity of arbuscular mycorrhizae had smaller G. quadriradiata seedbanks. To reduce Galinsoga infestations, fields should preferably be tilled without soil inversion, fertilised with organic amendments with low content of readily plant‐available phosphorus and cropped with competitive crops all season long.     

Reduction in field emergence and seedbank density of Galinsoga quadriradiata and other weeds after contrasting false seedbed strategies in organic vegetable fields

Mechanical weed control in low competitive, organic vegetable production systems is challenging, particularly in fields with large populations of Galinsoga spp. (Asteraceae). Various false seedbed techniques are used prior to crop planting or sowing to prevent weed emergence, albeit with variable success. This study investigated the impact of machinery type (flamer, hoe and harrow), number of passes (2 and 4), tillage depth (1–4 cm) and intensity (double and single hoeing, and hoeing with or without additional harrowing) on weed emergence and seedbank density in 0–5 cm topsoil of organic vegetable fields. False seedbed machinery that did not or minimally disturb the soil was most appropriate for preventive control of Galinsoga quadriradiata (Hairy galinsoga) and total weed seeds, with reductions in seedling emergence up to 99% and 73%, respectively, for flaming, and 74% and 67%, respectively, for 1 cm deep hoeing, 1 month after false seedbed creation. Compared with 1 cm deep hoeing, 1 cm deep harrowing was 16% less effective in the control of emerged seedlings, while flaming was highly effective in preventing weed seedling emergence, even after a low number of passes. Tillage intensity was less important than tillage depth for the reduction in weed emergence and seedbank density. Overall, tillage was more effective for seedbank reduction than flaming.     

Biology of Commelina benghalensis L. in south-eastern Queensland. 2. Seed dormancy, germination and emergence

Germination of freshly harvested seeds of Commelina benghalensis L. varied from 0–3% for small aerial seeds, 20–35% for large aerial seeds and from 33% for small underground seeds to 90% for large underground seeds. Innate dormancy of all seed types was completely overcome by clipping the seed coat. Exposure to 90°C dry heat for 2 h was also effective in increasing germination of the three strongly dormant seed types. Optimum temperature for germination varied with the different seed types. Periods of likely major weed infestation from the four seed types were predicted using soil temperature data. Exposure to light increased germination but was not essential and underground seeds responded more to light than aerial seeds. Optimum depth of emergence for the four seed types was from 0 to 50 mm and there was a positive correlation between maximum depth of emergence and seed weight.     

Germination ecology, emergence and host detection in Cuscuta campestris

Trials were carried out to study the germination and dormancy of Cuscuta campestris Y. (dodder) seeds and factors influencing the success of early parasitisation of sugarbeet. Primary dormancy can be removed by seed scarification. Germination was negligible at 10°C and optimal at 30°C, while it was not influenced by light. Seed burial induced a cycle of induction and breaking of secondary dormancy. Seedling emergence was inversely proportional to the depth of seed burial and only seed buried within 5 cm of the soil surface emerged. Storage of C. campestris seeds in a laboratory for 12 years resulted in the loss of primary dormancy, enabling the germination of all viable seeds. Host infection (i.e. protrusion of parasite haustoria from host tissue) was heavily influenced by host growth stage. Tropism towards a host was due to the perception of light transmitted by green parts of sugarbeet plants. Insertion of a transparent glass sheet between host leaves and parasite seedlings did not modify this response. This phototropism permitted Cuscuta to identify host plants with high chlorophyll content as a function of the lower red/far red ratio of transmitted light.     

Population regulation of Galinsoga ciliata and G. parviflora

The population response of the two sympatric annual weeds, Galinsoga ciliata (Raf.) Blake and G. parviflora Cav., which occur abundantly in croplands and early secondary successional communities in the north-eastern hill region of India was studied in relation to sowing pattern (clump or scattered sowing), population density and soil moisture and texture. In a given sowing pattern, seed germination of both species declined with increase in sowing density and moisture stress. However, sowing of seeds in clumps and an increased proportion of sand in soil enhanced the germination, Fewer weeds died in the population raised from scattered sowing than from clumped distribution. Plants grown at high moisture level matured earlier, and fertility of the survivors was negatively correlated with both density and moisture stress in both species although G. ciliata was less affected. Seed output and dry matter yield per pot of both species increased with population density but the increase was not linearly related to the increase in plant numbers, and density-induced reduction in seed output was observed at high densities. Galinsoga ciliata appears to tolerate greater density-stress than G. parviflora. Asubstantial decrease in production of capitula, seeds and dry matter at low moisture level indicates the role played by soil moisture in regulating the population growth of the two weeds. An increased proportion of sand in soil resulted in significantly greater seed production in G. parviflora. Galinsoga ciliata also showed a similar trend although the differences were not statistically significant.     

Dormancy,germination and emergence of Urochloa panicoides regulated by temperature

Urochloa panicoides is an annual weed of summer crops. In Argentina, in subhumid areas with monsoon rainfall, it germinates and establishes in a single flush. To (i) identify the environmental factors that modify its seed dormancy level and germination and (ii) quantify the parameters describing the thermal behaviour of the germination and emergence dynamics of this weed under non‐limiting water conditions, we established a set of germination experiments performed (i) under controlled conditions using seeds after ripened for 3 or 6 months in different thermal and hydric conditions and (ii) under field conditions, where the soil temperature was modified by applying different shading levels. Seed dormancy level remained high with 3 months after ripening in all treatments. After 6 months, seeds stored at 4°C in dry conditions did not germinate at any temperature, while seeds stored at 25°C in dry conditions and in situ germinated c. 20% and 60% respectively. Germination percentage was higher in seeds harvested before their natural dispersal. The base, optimum and maximum temperatures for seed germination were 6, 35 and 45°C respectively. Shading reduced the number of emerged seedlings, possibly by reducing the soil thermal amplitude. The results explained the dormancy‐breaking mechanism of U. panicoides that allows a high germination rate in the field when rainfall occurs.     

Seed dormancy and soil seedbank of the invasive weed Chenopodium hybridum in north‐western China

Seed dormancy and persistence in the soil seedbank play a key role in timing of germination and seedling emergence of weeds; thus, knowledge of these traits is required for effective weed management. We investigated seed dormancy and seed persistence on/in soil of Chenopodium hybridum, an annual invasive weed in north‐western China. Fresh seeds are physiologically dormant. Sulphuric acid scarification, mechanical scarification and cold stratification significantly increased germination percentages, whereas dry storage and treatments with plant growth regulators or nitrate had no effect. Dormancy was alleviated by piercing the seed coat but not the pericarp. Pre‐treatment of seeds collected in 2012 and 2013 with sulphuric acid for 30 min increased germination from 0% to 66% and 62% respectively. Effect of cold stratification on seed germination varied with soil moisture content (MC) and duration of treatment; seeds stratified in soil with 12% MC for 2 months germinated to 39%. Burial duration, burial depth and their interaction had significant effects on seed dormancy and seed viability. Dormancy in fresh seeds was released from October to February, and seeds re‐entered dormancy in April. Seed viability decreased with time for seeds on the soil surface and for those buried at a depth of 5 cm, and 39% and 10%, respectively, were viable after 22 months. Thus, C. hybridum can form at least a short‐lived persistent soil seedbank.     

Germination, emergence and seedling growth of Hypericum perforatum L.

Germination of new seeds (1–6 months old) of Hypericum perforation L. was restricted by high temperatures (16h/8h, 20/30°C), darkness and a chemical inhibitor in exudate from the capsule, whereas germination of old seeds (9 years) was only restricted by the inhibitor. The effect of the chemical inhibitor and high temperatures was overcome, respectively, by washing seeds in water and by reducing temperatures to constant 15°C. Calcium in solution from CaCO₃ and from three different soils did not prevent the germination of new or old seeds or of seeds collected from five different locations. There were differences in the germination characteristics and dormancy mechanisms of seeds collected from different localities, Restriction of the emergence of seedlings by a covering of > 2 mm of soil appeared to be due to lack of seedling vigour rather than to lack of light. Seedling growth was much slower than in other pasture species. Thus the requirements for germination of H. perforatum of low temperature and moisture to wash away the chemical inhibitor favour its establishment but the slow growth of its seedling restricts its emergence and renders it extremely susceptible to competition from other plants.     

Modelling Chloris virgata germination and emergence under different temperature and light quality conditions

Chloris virgata is a problematic weed around the world. Prediction of weed germination rates could be a useful strategy to optimise timing of weed control actions. We studied the germination and emergence of C. virgata collected seeds under different after-ripening treatments and different exhumation dates after seed dispersal, to estimate seed dormancy level and predict weed emergence dynamics under field conditions. Three experiments were conducted under controlled conditions to determine base, optimum and maximum germination temperatures (T_b, T_o and T_m respectively) and comprised: (a) exposure of seeds to gradually increasing and decreasing temperatures between 5 and 35°C; (b) exposure of seeds to different constant temperatures; and (c) exposure of seeds to different light quality conditions (red – far red ratio) and temperature regimes (constant and alternating temperatures). To explore genuine environmental conditions, a field experiment was performed to determine weed emergence under different shading levels. Finally, with the data obtained, a thermal time model for dormancy release was used to predict C. virgata seedling emergence in the Argentine Pampas region. Seeds after-ripened in cold and wet conditions and constant 25°C showed the highest germination percentages. The values of T_b (7°C), T_o (28°C) and T_m (40°C) remained constant at all exhumation dates. Neither light quality nor thermal regime modified the final germination percentages. However, shading delayed seedling emergence under field conditions, even when it was adjusted by thermal time. These results may allow predicting C. virgata emergence in temperate regions and help to improve weed control in integrated weed management strategies.     

A review of the relationship between primary and secondary dormancy,with reference to the volunteer crop weed oilseed rape (Brassica napus)

Fresh seeds of oilseed rape (Brassica napus) are reported to be nondormant and nonphotoblastic. However, a portion of the seeds can be induced into a light‐requiring state (secondary dormancy) for germination and also exhibit dormancy cycling. Thus, if seeds become buried in the soil they can form a persistent seedbank and become a serious volunteer weed in succeeding crops. The capacity of nondormant seeds of B. napus to be induced into secondary dormancy is contrary to results of studies on fresh nondormant seeds of some other species. A reanalysis of published and unpublished data shows that fresh seeds of this species have some degree of primary dormancy and that there is a significant relationship between primary dormancy and the capacity to enter secondary dormancy. However, most germination tests on B. napus have not been done in enough detail to detect primary dormancy (or not) in fresh seeds of this species. The usefulness of information on the relationship between primary dormancy and the capacity of the seeds to enter secondary dormancy is discussed in relation to management of weedy volunteers of this species.     

Germination, persistence, and emergence of flaxleaf fleabane (Conyza bonariensis [L.] Cronquist)

Flaxleaf fleabane ( Conyza bonariensis [L.] Cronquist) is a difficult-to-control weed in dryland minimum tillage farming systems in the northern grains region of Australia. Experiments under field and controlled environments were conducted to study the seed germination, emergence, and persistence of C. bonariensis . The base, optimum, and maximum temperatures for seedling germination were estimated at 4.2, 20, and 35°C, respectively, with light stimulating germination. The soil types and burial depths had significant effects on seed persistence and emergence. The persistence pattern showed an initial rapid drop, followed by a slow but steady decline over time. After 3 years of burial, there were ≈ 7.5%, 9.7%, and 1.3% viable seeds at 10, 5, and 0–2 cm soil depths, respectively. Conyza bonariensis predominantly emerged from the soil surface or from the burial depth of 0.5 cm. Very few seeds emerged from a depth of 1 cm and none emerged from ≥ 2 cm. The emergence was greater in lighter soils. On-farm monitoring of the field emergence over time in a light sandy loam soil showed that 99% emergence occurred in late autumn, early and late winter, and a small fraction of 1% emerged in mid-spring. The predominant emergence from the soil surface suggests that the fleabane problem is a result of weed species shift toward the minimum tillage systems that provide moist conditions for better emergence compared to conventional tillage systems. The seed longevity of at least 3 years in the soil and the prolonged emergence patterns between autumn and spring have posed great difficulties for the long-term management of C. bonariensis .     

Effect of soil moisture during stratification on dormancy release in seeds of five common weed species

Although the effects of cold stratification on the release of physiological dormancy in seeds have been studied extensively, knowledge of the role of soil moisture content on seed dormancy release during cold stratification is limited. Our study determined seed dormancy characteristics and the effect of soil moisture content on seed dormancy breakage during cold stratification in the five common weed species Amaranthus retroflexus, Chenopodium album, Chenopodium hybridum, Plantago lanceolata and Setaria glauca. Seeds of all five species were dormant at the time of harvest and their germination response to light and temperature varied. Soil moisture content had a significant effect on seed dormancy release of all species except P. lanceolata. Germination percentage of A. retroflexus, C. album, C. hybridum increased and then decreased as soil moisture content increased, regardless of germination test temperature. The optimal soil moisture content and seed moisture content for dormancy breakage of A. retroflexus, C. album, C. hybridum were 8%, 12%, 8% and 22.0%, 37.7%, 25.7% respectively. Dry storage (after‐ripening) significantly increased germination of S. glauca. Moreover, increasing soil moisture content first slowed and then increased dormancy breakage in S. glauca. These results suggest that data on soil moisture content should be incorporated into models that predict weed seed dormancy breakage and timing of seedling emergence as well as those for weed management.     

Asian spiderflower (Cleome viscosa) germination ecology in southern Iran

Cleome viscosa is one of the most important weeds of warm‐season crops in southern Iran. Laboratory experiments were conducted to assess the impact of environmental factors on seed germination of C. viscosa . Freshly harvested seeds exhibited dormancy that was relieved (>90%) after immersion for 20 min in concentrated sulfuric acid. Regardless of the temperature regime, the final percentage of germination in light/dark (69.3%) was significantly higher than in complete darkness (58.3%). The optimum temperature for germination was 35/25°C in both light and dark. No germination was observed at constant temperatures of either 15 or 45°C. The thermal thresholds for seed germination, the base (T _b) and the mean ceiling germination temperatures (T _c(50)) were estimated to be 18.8 and 39.9°C, respectively. A base water potential ( Ψ _b(50) ) of ?0.96 MPa was identified for C. viscosa seeds. The response threshold of C. viscosa to reduce 50% of maximum germination for salinity was estimated to be 255 mM. Seeds that were placed on the soil surface had the highest percentage of seedling emergence (77.3%), and no seedlings emerged from seeds placed at a depth of 6 cm. The findings of this study could help to improve the integrated weed management strategies for this species.     

Population regulation of Galinsoga ciliata (Raf.) Blake and G. parviflora Cav.: Effect of 2,4-D application at different growth stages and light regimes

Population behaviour of two sympatric annual weeds, Galinsoga ciliata (Raf.) Blake and G. parviflora Cav., which occur abundantly in hill agro-ecosystems and secondary successional communities of north-east India, was studied in response to light intensity and 2,4-D application. Survival and growth of the two weeds were adversely affected by reduction in light intensity and increased concentration of 2,4-D. G. ciliata was more susceptible to 2,4-D, whereas G. parviflora to decrease in light. Leaf area ratio in G. ciliata increased under low light regime while that in G. parviflora decreased. The increased concentration of 2,4-D caused more severe effect on both weeds. The effect was, however, modified by the light intensity and age of plant at which the herbicide was applied. The application of 2,4-D at seedling stage under the high light regime caused greater mortality and growth reduction in both weeds, while the herbicide application at flowering stage resulted in much reduced production of viable seeds. Réglementation des peuplements de Galinsoga ciliata (Raf.) Blake et G. parviflora Cav.: Effet de l'application de 2,4-D à différents stades végétatifs et par des régimes lumineux variés Le comportement de peuplements de deux mauvaises herbes annuelles sympatriques, Galinsoga ciliata (Raf.) Blake et G. parviflora Cav., qui abondent dans les agro-écosystèmes de montagne ainsi que les communautés secondaires de succession dans le nord-est des Indes, a fait l'objet d'une étude par rapport à l'intensité lumineuse et aux applications de 2,4-D. Une luminosité moins intense, ainsi qu'une plus forte concentration de 2,4-D, a fait preuve d'une influence néfaste sur la croissance des deux adventices. G. ciliata s'est montré plus sensible envers le 2,4-D tandis que G. parviflora a réagi davantage à la diminution de lumière. Chez G. ciliata, la proportion de superficie foliaire a augmenté par un régime de faible luminosité tandis que chez G. parviflora elle a diminué. Une concentration plus importante de 2,4-D a augmenté l'effet néfaste chez les deux espèces. Cependant cet effet a subi des modifications selon la luminosité ainsi que l'âge de la plante au moment du traitement herbicide. Appliqué au stade plantule par une forte luminosité, le 2,4-D a provoqué chez les deux adventices une mortalité et une réduction de croissance plus marquées, tandis qu'une application à la fleuraison a amené une baisse considérable dans le nombre de graines viables. Populationsregulation von Galinsoga ciliata (Raf.) Blake und G. parviflora Cav.: Wirkung von 2,4-D Applikationen auf verschiedene Wachstums-stadien unter verschiedenen Lichtbedingungen Es wurde die Populationsdynamik zweier einjähriger, in denselben Arealen vorkommenden Unkräuter, Galinsoga ciliata (Raf.) Bale und G. parviflora Cav., häufig in Agro-Oekosystemen und sekundären Pflanzengesellschaften Nordost-Indiens vorhanden, in Bezug auf Einfluss von Licht und 2,4-D Applikation studiert. Das Ueberleben und das Wachstum der zwei Unkräuter wurde in gegensätzlicher Weise vonmay der Lichtintensität und steigender 2,4-D Konzentration beeinflusst. G. ciliata war empfindlicher auf 2,4-D; G. parviflora, jedoch, gegenüber starker Belichtung. Während die Blattfläche von G. ciliata bei schwachem Lichtangebot zunahm, nahm sie bei G. parviflora ab. An beiden Unkräutern verursachten steigende 2,4-D Konzentrationen eine zunehmende Wirkung. Dieser Effekt wurde allerdings durch Lichteinfluss und Alter der Pflanzen bei der Herbizidan-wendung beeinflusst. 2,4-D Applikation im Keimlingsstadium und unter hohem Lichtangebot verursachte eine höhere Mortalitätsrate und eine stärkere Wachstumsverringerung bei beiden Species, während die Herbizidbehandlung auf blühende Pflanzen eine stark verminderte Produktion lebensfähiger Samen zur Folge hatte.     

Germination, emergence, and dormancy of Mimosa pudica

Mimosa pudica (common sensitive plant) is a problematic weed in many crops in tropical countries. Eight experiments were conducted to determine the effects of light, seed scarification, temperature, salt and osmotic stress, pH, burial depth, and rice residue on the germination, seedling emergence, and dormancy of M. pudica seeds. Scarification released the seeds from dormancy and stimulated germination, though the germination of the scarified seeds was not influenced by light. The scarification results indicate that a hard seed coat is the primary mechanism that restricts germination. The germination increased markedly with the exposure to high temperature "pretreatment" (e.g. 150°C), which was achieved by placing non-scarified seeds in an oven for 5 min followed by incubation at 35/25°C day/night temperatures for 14 days. The germination of the scarified seeds was tolerant of salt and osmotic stress, as some seeds germinated even at 250 mmol L⁻¹ NaCl (23%) and at an osmotic potential of −0.8 MPa (5%). The germination of the scarified seeds was >74% over a pH range of 5–10. The seedling emergence of the scarified seeds was 73–88% at depths of 0–2 cm and it gradually decreased with an increasing depth, with no seedling emergence at the 8 cm depth. The rice residue applied to the soil surface at rates of ≤6 t ha⁻¹ did not influence the seedling emergence and dry weight. The information gained from this study identifies some of the factors that facilitate M. pudica becoming a widespread weed in the humid tropics and might help in developing components of integrated weed management practises to control this weed.     

Seed germination ecology of creeping mannagrass (Glyceria acutiflora) and response to POST herbicides

Creeping mannagrass is a perennial grass weed widely distributed in China and is becoming increasingly problematic in nurseries and landscapes in some regions. Understanding the germination ecology and response to commonly available POST herbicides of this weed is critical to determining its adaptive capabilities and potential for infestation, and assist in the development of effective control strategies. In the light/dark regime, creeping mannagrass germinated over a wide range of temperatures (15/5 to 30/20°C), with maximum germination at 20/10°C (95%). No seed germinated at 35/25 or 10/0°C. The time required for 50% of maximum germination increased as temperature decreased. Compared with the light/dark conditions, germination was slightly stimulated when seeds were placed in the dark. Creeping mannagrass is moderately tolerant to osmotic and salt stress, which had 53 and 50% germination rates at ?0.6 mPa osmotic potential and 200 mM NaCl concentration, respectively. Seedling emergence of the seeds buried at a depth of 0.5 cm (86%) was higher than those sowing on the soil surface (17%), but declined with burial depth increasing. There were no differences in the emergence rates from a burial depth 0.5–2 cm. Few seeds (4%) could emerge when seeds were sowed at a depth of 8 cm. POST application of haloxyfop‐R‐methyl, quizalofop‐p‐ethyl, sethoxydim, and pinoxaden provides 100% control of creeping mannagrass at the three‐leaf to five‐leaf stages. To achieve 80% control with clodinafop‐propargyl, mesosulfuron‐methyl, and fenoxaprop‐p‐ethyl, herbicides had to be applied at the three‐leaf stage.     

Longevity,dormancy and germination of Cyanus segetum

Cyanus segetum is an iconic, colourful weed in arable fields that provides ecological and societal services. To understand better both the infestation dynamics of C. segetum as an abundant, harmful weed and maintain sustainable populations where it provides beneficial services, we compared information on seed dormancy, seed longevity and germination conditions in two populations. Persistence of seeds buried in the soil was low, with <10% viable after 3 years. Periodic dormancy cycling was observed over the 4 years in the soil, with a maximum of dormant seeds in the spring and a minimum in the autumn; however, 20% of the seeds were non‐dormant all the time. Seeds of C. segetum were positive photosensitive, but light requirement varied among populations. Base water potential for germination was ?1 MPa. Base temperature ranged from 1 to 2°C. Optimum temperature for germination was about 10 to 15°C, but the mean thermal time varied greatly between populations, from 80 to 134 day °C. Photoperiod and temperature combinations had no effect on germination percentage, but both reduced the germination rate. Burial deeper than 2 cm greatly reduced germination and seedling emergence strongly decreased at depths >0.5 cm. No seeds buried deeper than 8 cm emerged. Low seed longevity and a wide range of germination conditions could partly explain the rapid disappearance of C. segetum populations after herbicide application began in western Europe. However, yearly sowing in restoration areas does not seem to be essential.     

Behaviour of buried and surface-sown seeds of Parthenium hysterophorus

Parthenium hysterophorus L. seeds were buried at a depth of 5 cm for periods of 2–24 months to determine their longevity. The majority (73.7%) of these seeds were still viable after 24 months of burial. The remainder could not be recovered (18.0%) or were no longer viable (8.3%). There was a log-linear decline in persistence of germinable seeds over time, which indicated a constant rate of loss and a half-life of about 6 years. Seedling emergence from surface-sown seeds was also studied. Although there was considerable rainfall (31 mm), seedlings did not emerge during the first month of this experiment. In the succeeding 3 months, there was substantial seedling emergence after rainfall, and 51.4% of seeds had germinated by the end of the fourth month. After 5 months had passed, further seedling emergence was not detected, and intact seeds could not be located. These findings suggest that seed incorporation into the soil is important to the long-term persistence of P . hysterophorus seeds. In an initial test of germination, unburied seeds from the same seed lot exhibited a degree of innate dormancy, and this may explain the delayed germination observed in the surface-sown seeds. In the seed burial and recovery experiment, innate dormancy was lost after 2 months of burial in the field, although in situ germination of buried seed remained low for at least 24 months. Therefore, it appears that more than one dormancy mechanism may contribute to the persistence of P. hysterophorus seeds.     

Comportement germinatif des graines d'Amaranthus retroflexus L. recoltées dans les conditions naturelles

Germination behaviour of seeds of Amaranthus retroflexus L, harvested under natural conditions The influence of time of emergence of seed-bearing plants and of the climate at the time of dissemination on dormancy of seeds of Amaranthus retroflexus L. formed solely on the main inflorescence was studied. Under conditions favourable to germination (30 C) the seeds harvested latest (November) are at shedding the least dormant and those produced very early (August) the most dormant. But after dry storage for 60 days, the seeds had a germinative capacity near 100% whatever their origin. Under conditions less favourable to germination (20 C) the seeds harvested from the plants which had developed very late (June-July) germinated better than those developed on plants which appeared very early (March April). These differences were not overcome by dry storage. In the light of these facts, the authors discuss the elTects of interactions between climatic factors and the physiological state of the plants on the germinability of naturally-disseminated seeds.     

Factors affecting seed germination and emergence of Gomphrena perennis

Controlled growth chamber experiments were conducted to determine factors affecting seed germination and emergence of the troublesome weed Gomphrena perennis. The objective of this research was to examine the effects of temperature, light, moist chilling, osmotic potential, dry storage and depth of seed burial on G. perennis germination and emergence. The optimum temperature for germination was around 15–20°C. Seeds showed germination rates above 90% under 20/10 and 25/15°C temperature regimes. The minimum exposure to light needed to stimulate germination was 1 min. However, the light requirement was reduced after a long storage period. Furthermore, germination was high (>90%) in all moist‐chilling treatments tested. Germination was highly sensitive to increasing osmotic stress. The highest germination percentage (94%) was achieved at 0 MPa, and decreasing osmotic potential from 0 to ?0.3 MPa reduced germination to 11%. The highest seedling emergence occurred for seeds placed from 0 to 1 cm deep, and no seedlings emerged from a 5‐cm burial depth. Gomphrena perennis has a suitable environment in a no‐till soybean field, where seeds remaining on the surface have the required temperature, light and depth needed for germination.