Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-42gr6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-15T16:24:15.308Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Germination of Sorghum almum Seeds and Longevity in Soil

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2017

Charlotte V. Eberlein
Charlotte V. Eberlein*
Affiliation:
Dep. Agron. and Plant Genetics, Univ. Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Sorghum-almum (Sorghum almum Parod. # SORAL) is a weakly perennial, rhizomatous grass that in northern climates reproduces mainly by seeds. Environmental factors influencing seed germination and the longevity of buried seeds were studied in growth chamber and field experiments. Alternating temperatures of 20 C for 16 h and 30 C for 8 h were optimum for germination. Light was not critical to germination. Germination varied only slightly across a pH range from 5.0 to 8.8 but decreased sharply below pH 5. Osmotic potentials greater than −0.9 MPa reduced germination substantially, and no germination occurred at −1.5 MPa. Limited germination occurred at NaCl concentrations of 340 mM, and no germination occurred at 510 mM. Seeds that were either mechanically scarified or afterripened for 6 months had a higher percent germination and germination rate than untreated seeds. Sorghum-almum seedling emergence was 11% from seeding depths of 20 cm, but emergence was 67% or higher from seeding depths of 15 cm or less. In field studies, viability of seeds placed on the soil surface or buried 3 or 8 cm was 2% or less at 12 months and 0% at 18 months after burial. Viability of seeds buried 15 and 23 cm was 0.3 and 26%, respectively, at 24 months after burial. Thus, tillage that buried sorghum-almum seeds 20 cm or more could reduce emergence but would also prolong seed persistence. Shallow tillage should favor depletion of sorghum-almum seed reserves.

Keywords

Temperaturelightaciditymoisture stresssalinityseed burialscarificationafterripeningSORAL
Type
Weed Biology and Ecology
Information
Weed Science , Volume 35 , Issue 6 , November 1987 , pp. 796 - 801
Copyright
Copyright © 1987 by the Weed Science Society of America 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Literature Cited

1. Burnside, O. C. 1965. Seed and phenological studies with shattercane. Neb. Agric. Exp. Stn. Res. Bull. 220. 37 pp.Google Scholar
2. Burnside, O. C., Wicks, G. A., and Fenster, C. R. 1977. Longevity of shattercane seed in soil across Nebraska. Weed Res. 17:139–143.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3. Chernicky, J. P. and Slife, F. W. 1985. Comparing a strain of Illinois sorghum to Tennessee johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense). Weed Sci. 33:328–332.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4. Egley, G. H. and Chandler, J. M. 1978. Germination and viability of weed seeds in a 50-year buried seed study. Weed Sci. 26:230–239.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5. Evans, W. F. and Stickler, F. C. 1961. Grain sorghum seed germination under moisture and temperature stresses. Agron. J. 53: 369–372.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6. Evetts, L. L. and Burnside, O. C. 1972. Germination and seedling development of common milkweed and other species. Weed Sci. 20:371–378.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7. Furrer, J. D. 1985. The shattercane [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.] scenario and genetics of sorghum. WSSA Abstracts 25:47–48.Google Scholar
8. Guneyli, E., Burnside, O. C., and Nordquist, P. T. 1969. Influence of seedling characteristics on weed competitive ability of sorghum hybrids and inbred lines. Crop Sci. 9:713–716.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9. Harrington, G. T. 1916. Germination and viability tests of Johnson grass seed. Assoc. Official Seed Anal. Proc. 9:24–28.Google Scholar
10. Harrington, G. T. 1923. Structure, physical characteristics, and composition of the pericarp and integument of Johnson grass seed in relation to its physiology. J. Agric. Res. 23:193–222.Google Scholar
11. Holm, L. G., Plucknett, D. L., Pancho, J. V., and Herberger, J. P. 1977. The World's Worst Weeds – Distribution and Biology. Univ. Press of Hawaii, Honolulu. 609 pp.Google Scholar
12. Hoveland, C. S. and Buchanan, G. A. 1973. Weed seed germination under simulated drought. Weed Sci. 21:322–324.Google Scholar
13. Parodi, L. R. 1943. Una nueva especie de sorghum cultivada en la Argentina. Rev. Argent. Agron. 10:361–373.Google Scholar
14. Russell, J. S. 1976. Comparative salt tolerance of some tropical and temperate legumes and tropical grasses. Aust. J. Exp. Agric. 16:103–109.Google Scholar
15. Schafer, D. E. and Chilcote, D. O. 1969. Factors influencing persistence and depletion in buried seed populations. I. A model for analysis of parameters of buried seed persistence and depletion. Crop Sci. 9:417–419.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16. Strand, O. E. 1979. Almum grass, a new weed problem in Minnesota? Proc. North Cent. Weed Control Conf. 36:77.Google Scholar
17. Taylorson, R. B. and McWhorter, C. G. 1969. Seed dormancy and germination in ecotypes of Johnsongrass. Weed Sci. 17: 359–361.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
18. Thill, D. C., Zamora, D. L., and Kambitsch, D. L. 1985. Germination and viability of common crupina (Crupina vulgaris) achenes buried in the field. Weed Sci. 33:344–348.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19. Wilson, R. G. 1979. Germination and seedling development of Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense). Weed Sci. 27:146–151.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
20. Wilson, R. G. and McCarty, M. K. 1984. Germination, and seedling and rosette development of Flodman thistle (Cirsium flodmanii). Weed Sci. 32:768–773.Google Scholar
21. Zorner, P. S., Zimdahl, R. L., and Schweizer, E. E. 1984. Effect of depth and duration of seed burial on kochia (Kochia scoparia). Weed Sci. 32:602–607.Google Scholar