Published online by Cambridge University Press: 20 January 2017
Common teasel is an invasive and widespread weed in Argentina. Germinationexperiments were carried out from 2011 to 2014 to determine the effect ofvarious environmental factors on germination and emergence. Germination ofrecently dispersed seeds was 12% in darkness at constant temperature. Incontrast, seed exposure to light and alternating temperatures enhancedgermination to 95%. The requirement of light and alternating temperaturessuggest that common teasel has physiological dormancy. Several experimentswere carried out to determine whether (1) seed responses to light andalternating temperatures have a hormonal basis, (2) seed coats can suppressgermination, and (3) time and thermal conditions during seed storage reducelight and alternating temperature requirements. Germination was reduced (≤13%) by a gibberellin synthesis inhibitor. In contrast, the presence ofgibberellins and an abscisic acid synthesis inhibitor increased germinationto 95 and 38%, respectively. Results suggest that a higher ratio amonggibberellins and abscisic acid (GA/ABA) leads to a break in dormancy.Germination was 100% when embryos were excised, suggesting that seed coatsmay suppress germination by mechanical restriction. Likewise, germinationwas enhanced by hydrogen peroxide (70%). This compound is known to increaseGA/ABA ratio in agreement with a hormonal control of dormancy proposed forcommon teasel. An increment of storage time reduces light and alternatingtemperature requirements, allowing seeds to germinate in darkness. Takingthese results together confirms that common teasel has physiologicaldormancy. Seedling emergence was progressively reduced from 70 to 8% byincreased burial depth from 0 to 3 cm. Information from these experimentsmay facilitate development of effective management for common teasel.
Associate Editor for this paper: Bhagirath Singh Chauhan, University of Queensland.