Feasibility conditions for germination and dormancy breaking methods in seeds of <i>Echinochloa colona</i> (L.) Link

Abstract

In the search of ecological alternatives to face weed problems in agro ecosystems, we studied in laboratory conditions, humidity, viability and conditions required for germination of Echinochloa colona (L.) Link (Phase 1), as well as, effect of different methods of dormancy interruption on seeds of this specie (Phase 2). Seeds were collected in Malacatoya community, Granada, Nicaragua. In Phase 1, the laboratory trial was a bifactorial, layout in a Randomized Completely Design with four replicates. The two factors were condition of planting, and seed position. In this phase, the germination of preheated seeds (60°C) was also studied. The seeds showed approximately 90% of viability, when Triphenyltetrazolium was used. Nevertheless, the seeds did not germinate, regardless of 4% of germination observed in preheated seeds. In Phase 2, eight methods to interrupt dormancy (Factor A) at 20°C and 26°C of temperature (Factor B) were evaluated. The control was set up in the environment without previous treatment. The Duncan test for rate and percentage of germination indicated that the best treatments for interruption of dormancy were ethanol (0.5 M) plus continuous red light, and continuous light. Our findings suggest that light is required for germination of this specie. In contrast, it is possible that the use of cover crop could be an important component in the ecological management of E. colona because it can have physical and chemical effects that may reduce the germination rate of the weed. In addition, our results indicate that for ecological management of E. colona, it is important to control it during the first sixteen days after emergence.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/calera.v10i15.666