IN THE NAME OF GOD EVALUATION OF SOME DORMANCY TERMINATING AND GERMINATION METHODS IN SOME WEED SEEDS BY: MARZIE NIAZI THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE (M.Sc.) IN CROP PRODUCTION SHIRAZ UNIVERSITY SHIRAZ, IRAN EVALUATED AND APPROVED BY THE THESIS COMMITTEE AS: EXCELLENT Hesoeinn Glace: H. GHADIRI, PhD. ASSOC. PROF. OF DEPT, OF CROP PRODUCTION AND PLANT BREEDING (CHAIRMAN) MsRerKtsoes.... M.RAHEMI, Ph.D., ASSOC. PROF. OF DEPT. OF HORTICULTURE A. Hharsd— . M. KHERADNAM, M.S., ASSIST. PROF. OF DEPT.OF CROP PRODUCTION AND PLANT BREEDING Ph Re Lharctr.oaas i....... H.R. KARIMI, M.S., INSTRUCTOR OF DEPT. — OF CROP PRODUCTION AND PLANT BREEDING, YASOOJ UNIVERSITY JANUARY 2003 avisDedicated To All Whom I Love‘KNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to express my sincere appreciation to Dr. Hossein Ghadiri, the committee chairman and my advisor for his valuable guidance and supervision throughout the course of this investigation, Thanks are also extended to Dr, Rahemi, Mr. M. Kheradnam and Mr H.R. Karimi who critically reviewed the manuscript and made helpful suggestions. Appreciation is also extended to Dr, A. Karbasi, Dr. Z, Banihashemi and Dr. Y. Eman for providing technical assistance in their respected departments. I am grateful to Mr. Mostophi, Mr. Zibaei, and Mr, Azaraghsh for their valuable assistances. ‘Thanks are also expressed to Mrs, Sobhani for typing the manuscript.ABSTRACT Evaluation of some dormancy terminating and germination methods in some weed seeds BY Marzie Niazi Laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of stratification for 2, 4, 6 and 8 wk at 642 C°, scarification by 98% sulphuric acid for 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, and 60 min, GAs application at 25, 50, 100, 200 and 300 mgL", alternating day/night (8/16 h) temperatures of 10/20, 15/25, 20/30 and 25/35 °C, and continuous light conditions in different temperature regimes (10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 °C) on seed germination of redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus), common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album), dodder (Cuscuta sp), toothed dock (Rumex dentatus L.), bur parsley (Turgenia latifolia) and pagoda tree (‘Sophora alopecuroides). The study was conducted at the weed laboratory of department of crop production and plant breeding of the college of agriculture at Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran in 2001 and 2002. ‘The factorial experiment was arranged as completely randomized design with four replications, Germination was checked daily by visible radicle protrusion for 2 wk. The results of this study showed that toothed dock and common lambsquarters are positive photoblastic, thus, their dormancy can be broken by any factor that substitutes for the light requirement, such as, stratification for Swk or more, scarification for about 20 min for toothed dock and 5 min for common IVlambsquarters and alternating temperature of 15/25 °C. The application of different concentrations of GAs had little effect on intact seeds, possibly because the gibberellins were unable to diffuse into the embryo. The best temperature regimes for germination of these seeds were 15 to 25 °C. Effective methods for breaking dormancy of redroot pigweed seeds were stratification for Swk and high temperatures of 30 and 35 °C. Light conditions and alternating temperatures didn’t stimulate germination of redroot pigweed seeds. Also, scarification with sulphuric acid was not a good means of breaking seed dormaney because this treatment, even at the lowest level of seed scarification (Smin), damaged the embryos. The only method which effectively stimulated seed germination of dodder ‘was scarification with sulphuric acid (98%) for long time (30 min), Since dodder seed had a mechanical dormancy that could only be removed by scarification, other treatments were not effective in overcoming hardseedness. With the exception of stratification for 8 wk and scarification (dehulling seeds. by hand, without sulphuric acid, other treatments could not stimulate germination of bur parsley seeds, They had a double dormancy, namely, mechanical and physiological. Mechanical dormancy was removed by dehulling seeds, and the physiological dormancy was broken by stratification for 8 wk or more, The most effective treatment for breaking dormancy of pagoda tree seeds ‘was scarification by 98% sulphuric acid for about 30 min, because they had a mechanical dormancy that could be removed by scarification of the seed coat. The optimum temperature for germination was 30 °C, Other treatments such as stratification, GAg application, light and alternating temperature were not effective for breaking dormancy of these seeds,TABLE OF CONT) CONTENT PAGE ABSTRACT ... . . esssssseensneeeesennsesene LW LIST OF TABLES soseesenseesesaee DX LIST OF FIGURES. ee eovesse XL CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION............. a 1 CHAPTER II: REVIEW OF LITERATURE. seseeesesssssnsee 3 2.1, Dormancy ...csssssesssessensseessesneenntse eescnsesnseen 3 2.2, Types of Dormancy 2.3. Dormancy Mechanisms... .....-.- — 6 2.4, Breaking of Seed Dormancy. scenes 8 2.5. Effect of Temperature on Seed Dormancy and Germination. .......0.9 2.6, Effect of Growth Regulators on Seed Dormancy and Germination... 14 2.7, Effect of Stratification on Seed Dormancy and Germination .......... 15 2.8, Effect of Scarification on Seed Dormancy and Germination 17 2.9, Effect of Light on Seed Dormancy and Germination .. 19 2.10, Effect of Oxygen on Seed Dormancy and Germination, 21 2.11, Description of the Six Weeds Investigated in the Present Study ....21 CHAPTER III: MATERIALS AND METHODG.......... 24 3.1, General Procedures... ....sssscssssssssssssssssssssseseecesessssnsseseseeeeeesseten dd VICONTENT 3.2, Tetrazolium (TZ) Test.......ccencneen 3.3, Stratification and Temperature Tests..... om 3.4, Growth Regulator and Temperature Tests 3,5, Temperature and Light Tests 3.6. Scarification and Temperature Tests ... 3.1. Statistic Analysis. CHAPTER IV: RESULTS AND DLSCUSSION.... 4.1. Stratification and Temperature Effects 4.1.1 Rumex dentatus L. (Toothed dock) 4.1.2, Amaranthus retroflexus L. (Redroot pigweed) 4.1.3. Chenopodium album L. (Common lambesquarters) 4.1.4, Sophora alopecuroides (Led.) Bge, (Pagoda tree) 4.1.5, Turgenia latifolia (L.) Hoff. (Bur parsley)...... 4.1.6. Cuscuta sp. (Dodder) 4.2. Growth Regulator (GA3) and Temperature Effects. 4.2.1. Rumex dentatus L, (Toothed dock) ... 0.0 4.2.2. Amaranthus retroflexus L. (Redroot pigweed) .. 4.2.3. Chenopodium album L. (Common lambesquarters) 4.2.4, Sophora alopecuroides (Led.) Bge, (Pagoda tree) .. 4.2.5. Turgenia latifolia (L.) Hoff . (Bur parsley) ..... 4.2.6. Cuscuta sp. (Dodder) ....... PAGE 225 2 25 26 26 27 .27 34 34 34 37 40 43 45 49 50 53 5S 57 59CONTENT PAGE 4.3. Light And Temperature Effects... 4.3.1. Rumex dentatus L. (Toothed dock) 4.3.2. Amaranthus retroflexus L. (Redroot pigweed) 4.3.3. Chenopodium album L. (Common lambesquarters) 43.4. Sophora alopecuroides (Led.) Bge, (Pagoda tree) 0... 4.3.5. Turgenia latifolia (L.) HOFF. Bur parsley) 4.3.6. Cuscuta sp. (Dodder) : 4.4 Alternating Temperature Effects... ... 4.4.1, Rumex dentatus L. (Toothed dock) . 4.4.2, Amaranthus retroflexus L. (Redroot pigweed) 4.4.3, Chenopodium album L, (Common lambesquarters) 4,44, Sophora alopecuroides (Led.) Bge, (Pagoda tree) ote 4.4.5. Turgenia latifolia (L.) HOFF. Bur parsley) 4.4.6. Cuscuta sp. (Dodder) 4.5, Scarification and Temperature Effects. 4.5.1. Rumex dentatus L.. (Toothed dock)... 4.5.2. Amaranthus retroflexus L.. (Redroot pigweed)... 4.5.3. Chenopodium album L, (Common lambesquarters) 4.5.4. Sophora alopecuroides (Led.) Bge, (Pagoda tree) ...... 4.5.5. Turgenia latifolia (L.) HOFF. (Bur parsley) ... 45.6, Cuscuta sp (Dodder) .....crcorne 4.6. Conclusions and Suggestions. LITERATURE CITED. 60 60 61 62 63 64 64 66 66 o7 68 68 69 n 71 14 14 7 80 82 85 91LIST OF TABLES TABLE PAGE Table Table Table Table Table Table Table Table Table Table 1. Cumulative germination percentage of dormant toothed dock seeds as affected by temperature regimes and stratification period... 36 2. Cumulative germination percentage of dormant redroot pigweed seeds as affected by temperature regimes and stratification period 39 3. Cumulative germination percentage of dormant common lambsquarters seeds as affected by temperature regimes and stratification treatment. 42 4. Cumulative germination percentage of dormant pagoda tree seeds as affected by temperature regimes and stratification treatment... 4 5, Cumulative germination percentage of dormant bur parsley seeds as affected by temperature regimes and stratification period 48 6. Cumulative germination percentage of dormant toothed dock seeds as affected by temperature regimes and GA treatment........... sevseeee 52, 7. Cumulative germination percentage of dormant redroot pigweed seeds as 54 affected by temperature regimes and GAs treatment. 8. Cumulative germination percentage of dormant common lambsquarters seeds as affected by temperature regimes and GAs treatment... 56 9. Cumulative germination percentage of dormant pagoda tree seeds as affected by temperature regimes and GAs treatment......... .. 58 10, Cumnlative germination percentage of dormant some weed seeds as affected by temperature regimes and light treatment. . .. 65 xTable 11. Cumulative germination percentage of dormant toothed dock seeds as affected by temperature regimes and scarification treatment... 73 Table 12. Cumulative germination percentage of dormant common lambsquarters seeds as affected by temperature regimes and scarification treatment . 76 Table 13. Cumulative germination percentage of dormant pagoda tree seeds as, affected by temperature regimes and scarification treatment. ......... 79 Table 14. Cumulative germination percentage of dormant dodder seeds as affected by temperature regimes and scarification treatment. 84 Table 15. The effect of alternating temperatures on weed seed germination ......70 Table 16, Analysis of variance table escunttetnnnteseinncee ST 76LIST OF FIGURS FIGURE PAGE Figure 1. Amaranthus retroflecus L. (Redroot pigweed) .......sussnneree 28 Figure 2. Chenopodium album L, (Common lambesquatters) cee 29 Figure 3. Rumex dentatus L, (Toothed d0ck) ......csneirinneeeneeeeeee3O Figure 4. Cuscuta sp. (Dodder) 31 Figure 5. Turgenia latifolia (L.) HOFF. Bur parsley)... 32 Figure 6. Sophora alopecuroides (Led.) Bge, (Pagoda tree)..... seo 33 Figure 7. Redroot pigweed (a) and common lambsquarters (b) seed germination as affected by 8wk stratification... 89 Figure 8. Bur parsley seed germination as affected by stratification at 15 °C for 8wk (a) and 2wk (b) 89 Figure 9. Pagoda tree seed germination as affected by different temperature regimes 89 Figure 10, Dodder seed germination as affected by 60-min scarification with sulphuric acid at 10 °C (a) and 30 °C (b). .. ...90 Figure 11, Bur parsley dehullded seed germination at 15°C. Figure 12, Pagoda tree seed germination as affected by 60 min scarification with sulphuric acid, . eosin . 90 Figure 13. Toothed dock seed germination at 20 °C as affected by 8wk stratification (a) and light conditions (b)....... 90 Figure 14, Effect of temperature on bur parsley seed germination in hulled and dehulled seeds. a eres 81CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Weeds and History of Weed Control Weeds are plants existing at places and /or times at which they are considered undesirable by man. Thus, man’s primary interest in weeds is in finding methods for eliminating their presence. Understanding the physiology of weeds and how it differs from that of crop plants is becoming increasingly important in discovering new chemical, genetic and cultural methods of controlling weeds (26). Weed control, as old as agriculture itself, is one of most expensive steps in crop production. In a way of life that learned to control almost everything, it is of scientific interest that man has done so little to control this most persistent problem. Until recently the task surpassed even man’s imagination-except to battle weeds with brute force. Slowly man learned to mechanize and use power in his fight. First he replaced his fingers with a sharpened stick; then came the hoe, which in turn was replaced by the cultivator and plow. The suggestion of planting crops in rows to permit “ horse-hoeing” comes from Jethro Tull (1731), author of Horse Hoeing Husbandry. He also was among the first to use the word “ weed” in its present ‘spelling and meaning. Chemical energy is now replacing mechanical energy for weed control (45). But, chemical energy or the use of herbicides is notalways a good method to control all weeds, because, the costs of weed control especially by chemical energy are widely recognized. On the other hand, herbicides can potentially have harmful effects on environment, especially those herbicides that are unable to control all weeds in one application through the growing season. One of the major problems with effective control is the presence of dormancy mechanisms in weed seeds Today, in many of developed countries, researchers try, to decrease the problem of weeds, through finding the methods for breaking dormancy of weed seeds. For example ethylene applications induced witchweed (Striga asiatica) seeds germination and reduced the number of viable seeds of this plant parasite in soils of North and South Carolina in the U.S. S. asiatica is an obligate root parasite unless they are in close proximity of plants roots which exude a stimulant to Striga seed germination. Since ethylene stimulated germination of the seeds in soil in the absence of host roots, a very attractive control method was possible Stimulation of Siriga seed germination in the absence of the host is lethal to this parasite since attachment to the host root is essential to the survival of the obligate parasite. Those parasite seedlings that successfully achieve parasitism and survive are controlled by conventional herbicide methods (38). In our country, Iran, very little investigation, has been done on weed seed dormancy. In this study, effort is made to find out the appropriate mechanisms for breaking dormancy of some dominant weed seeds in Fars province such as redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.), common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album L.), dodder (Cuseuta sp), toothed dock (Rumex. dentatus), bur parsley (Turgenia latifolia (L.) HOFF.) and pagoda tree (Sophora alopecuroids Led.) Bge.)CHAPTER IT REVIEW OF LITERATURE 2.1, Dormancy Dormancy is a property of many weed seeds that enables them to survive conditions hazardous to plant growth and to germinate at some later time or in some other place (26). The term “dormancy” will be used in the sense used by Wareing, for instances where the seed of a given species fails to germinate under conditions of moisture, temperature and oxygen supply which are normally favorable for the later stage of germination and growth of that species (75). Germinability is the capacity of a seed to germinate under some set of conditions (55). Because of dormaney, seeds may persist in the soil for many years and germinate when conditions are favorable for seedling survival through maturity. The vast numbers of weed seeds that may occur in agricultural soils provide a source of weed seedlings that will create weed problems during the period of weed seed persistence in the soil (26), Weed seeds, and their germination requirements, are very diverse. The exact range of requirements for germination is peculiar to each species and even to each seed sample (55). Because weed seeds in the soil may be in different dormancy states, germination within a seed population may be nonsynchronous, thus, spreading seedling emergence over a period of time and causing the farmerto repeatedly face similar weed problems (26). Both the number of established plants and the timing of emergence of a weed are strongly related to the dynamics of dormancy release of the seed population (55). Sometimes dormancy is desirable in certain crops. For example, it prevents preharvest sprouting in winter cereals and helps maintain quality for either seed or industrial purpose (23). It plays an important role in the survival of plant species as it distributes germination in time and allows seeds to overcome adverse sowing conditions such as heavy frosts, dry weather or excessive moisture. Dormancy also gives other advantages; for example, in cotton, (Gossypium hirsutum), impermeable seeds maintain seed quality under adverse conditions of harvest (damp seasons) and storage (high humidity) (56). In contrast weed seed dormancy is a serious problem in agriculture, Dormant weed seeds are difficult to kill and, with the exception of soil sterilization methods, current weed control techniques are not effective upon dormant weed seeds (26) There are a number of terms in the literature of dormancy whose use seems to be inappropriate because of the misleading images that these terms produce. For example, the period during which a seed remains in the dormant state is often described as “rest”, although it is known that dormant seeds may undergo substantial or even intense metabolic activity during the dormancy- breaking processes. These dormancy-breaking processes are often termed after- ripening (17) After-ripening is a period after dispersal when the seed, can not germinate, even under favorable conditions, and during which changes occur allowing it to germinate. The dormant seed requires after-ripening for it to become capable of germination, After-ripening of weed seed usually occurs in the