Polygonum aviculare L. seeds sensitivity to ligh as affected by soil moisture conditions

DIEGO BATLLA; MARCELO NICOLETTA; ROBERTO LUIS BENECH-ARNOLD

ANNALS OF BOTANY

Año: 2007 p. 915 - 924

0305-7364

·        Background and Aims It has been hypothesized that soil moisture conditions could affect the dormancy status of buried weed seeds, and consequently, their sensitivity to light stimuli. In this paper we investigated the effect of different soil moisture conditions during cold-induced dormancy loss on changes in the sensitivity of Polygonum aviculare seeds to light. ·        Methods Seeds buried in pots were stored under different constant and fluctuating soil moisture environments at dormancy-releasing temperatures. Seeds were exhumed at regular intervals during storage and were exposed to different light treatments. Changes in the germination response of seeds to light treatments during storage under the different moisture environments were compared to determine the effect of soil moisture on Polygonum aviculare seeds sensitivity to light. ·        Key Results Seed acquisition of low-fluence responses during dormancy release was not affected by either soil moisture fluctuations or different constant soil moisture contents. On the contrary, different soil moisture environments affected seed acquisition of very-low-fluence responses and the capacity of seeds to germinate in the dark. ·        Conclusions Results indicate that under field conditions, the sensitivity to light of buried weed seeds could be affected by the soil moisture environment experienced during the dormancy release season, and this could affect their emergence pattern.