Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T23:44:01.059Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Dormancy and Viability of Witchweed Seeds as Affected by Temperature and Relative Humidity during Storage

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2017

Cyril A. Kust*
Affiliation:
Plant Pest Control Division, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Witchweed Laboratory, Whiteville, North Carolina, in cooperation with the Crops Research Division Department of Agronomy, The University of Wisconsin, Madison 6, Wisconsin
Get access

Abstract

The temperature at which seeds of witchweed (Striga asiatica (L.) Kuntze), an obligate parasite, were stored markedly influenced the length of time that the seeds remained dormant. Dormancy was broken completely by storing seeds collected in August, 1960, at 88 F for 6 weeks, at 75 for 24 weeks, at 40 for 32 weeks and at 0 F for 40 weeks. Seed viability was lost rapidly when the storage of seeds was continued at 88 or 100 F plus 100% relative humidity after seed dormancy had been broken. All of the seeds stored under those conditions were non-viable within 20 weeks after storage began. The viability of seeds stored at 75, 40 or 0 F had not decreased after 26 months for 1960 seeds. Seeds collected in 1961 and stored at those three temperatures or at 88 F plus 20% relative humidity for 14 months did not decrease in per cent viability. A hypothesis on the physiology of the dormancy, viability, and germination of witchweed seeds is presented.

Type
Research Article
Information
Weeds , Volume 11 , Issue 4 , October 1963 , pp. 247 - 250
Copyright
Copyright © 1963 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. Brown, R., and Edwards, M. 1944. The germination of the seed of Striga lutea. 1. Host influence and the progress of germination. Ann. Bot. 8:131148.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2. Robinson, E. L. 1960. Growth of witchweed (Striga asiatica) as affected by soil types and soil and air temperature. Weeds 8:576581.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3. Saunders, A. R. 1933. Studies in phanerogamic parasitism, with particular reference to Striga lutea Lour. So. Africa Dept. Agr. Sci. Bull. 128.Google Scholar
4. Uttaman, P. 1950. A study on the germination of Striga seed and on the mechanism and nature of parasitism of Striga lutea Lour. on rice. Indian Acad. Sci. Proc. Sect. B. 32: 133142.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5. Vallance, K. B. 1950. Studies on the germination of the seeds of Striga hermonthica. I. The influence of moisture-treatment, stimulant-dilution, and after-ripening on germination. Ann. Bot. 14:347363.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6. Vallance, K. B. 1951. Studies on the germination of the seeds of Striga hermonthica. III. On the nature of pretreatment and after-ripening, Ann. Bot. 15:109128.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7. Worsham, A. D., Moreland, D. E., and Klingman, G. C. 1959. Stimulation of Striga asiatica (witchweed) seed germination by 6-substituted purines. Science 130:16541656.CrossRefGoogle Scholar