Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-j824f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T10:28:04.258Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Photocontrol of Rough Cinquefoil Seed Germination and its Enhancement by Temperature Manipulation and KNO3

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2017

R. B. Taylorson*
Affiliation:
Crops Research Division, Agr. Res. Serv., U. S. Dep. of Agr., Beltsville, Maryland

Abstract

Imbibed seeds of rough cinquefoil (Potentilla norvegica L.) remain dormant in darkness at constant and alternating temperatures. Full promotion of germination resulted after 3 days' dark imbibition at 25 C followed by 24 hr of continuous unfiltered fluorescent light. Germination was controlled by phytochrome. The sensitivity of the seeds to short light exposures was increased by the introduction of a temperature shift to 40 C for 2 hr, at the conclusion of the normal dark imbibition period at 25 C. The temperature shift also reduced the time required in continuous light to give full promotion of germination. The response to light was synergistically increased when the seeds were imbibed in 0.2% KNO3, and given the temperature shift. Nearly full promotion was reached with ca. 5 min of red light, and 50% germination occurred with as little as 1 sec. The system was still under phytochrome control. These findings suggest a mechanism by which soil populations of weed seeds may become physiologically conditioned to respond to very brief exposures to light.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © 1969 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. Corns, W. G. 1959. Effects of gibberellin treatments on germination of various species of weed seeds. Can. J. Plant. Sci. 40:4751.Google Scholar
2. Kelley, W. R. 1952. Study of seed identification and seed germination of Potentilla spp. and Veronica spp. Cornell Univ. Agr. Exp. Sta. Mem. 317. 31 p.Google Scholar
3. Koller, D., Mayer, A. M., Poljakoff-Mayber, A. and Klein, S. 1962. Seed germination. Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. 13:437464.Google Scholar
4. Maguire, J. D. and Overland, A. 1959. Laboratory germination of seeds of weedy and native plants. Washington Agr. Exp. Sta. Circ. 349. 15 p.Google Scholar
5. Mitchell, E. 1926. Germination of seeds of plants native to Dutchess County, New York. Bot. Gaz. 81:108112.Google Scholar
6. Sauer, J. and Struik, G. 1964. A possible ecological relation between soil disturbance, light-flash, and seed germination. Ecology 45:884886.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7. Toole, E. H., Toole, V. K., Borthwick, H. A., and Hendricks, S. B. 1955. Photocontrol of Lepidium seed germination. Plant Physiol. 30:1521.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8. Toole, E. H., Toole, V. K., Borthwick, H. A., and Hendricks, S. B. 1955. Interaction of temperature and light in germination of seeds. Plant Physiol. 30:473478.Google Scholar
9. Toole, E. H., Toole, V. K., Hendricks, S. B., and Borthwick, H. A. 1957. Effect of temperature on germination of light-sensitive seeds. Proc. Int. Seed Testing Assoc. 22:19.Google Scholar
10. Toole, V. K. and Borthwick, H. A. 1968. The photoreaction controlling seed germination in Eragrostis Curvula . Plant Cell Physiol. 9:125136.Google Scholar
11. Wesson, G. and Wareing, P. F. 1967. Light requirements of buried seed. Nature 213:600601.Google Scholar