Abstract
Understanding of dormancy and germination behavior is very important for effective weed management of invasive weeds on
sustainable basis. This study investigated the germination and dormancy behavior of P. hysterophorus seeds under controlled
conditions. P. hysterophorus seeds were evaluated in standard germination test at different alternate (day/night) temperatures
(15/5 °C, 20/10 °C, 25/15 °C, 30/20 °C, and 35/25 °C). Later, dormant seeds of P. hysterophorus were buried in soil filled pots
at different moisture conditions (dry, moist and fluctuating moist soil) and kept at different temperature regimes (10, 20 and
30 °C) for 150 days. The germination and dormancy behavior of P. hysterophorus of buried seed was investigated through
standard seed germination test at one-month interval. Alternate temperatures showed significant effects on the germination
pattern of P. hysterophorus and highest germination at 25/15 °C and lowest germination was observed at 15/5 °C. Similarly,
different soil storage conditions significantly affected germination of P. hysterophorus with maximum germination was found
under fluctuating soil moist conditions and less germination under dry soil conditions at different intervals of evaluation.
However, storage temperature had no effect on germination response of P. hysterophorus for different storage intervals. Thus,
fluctuating temperature (25/15 °C) and fluctuating moist conditions were found favorable for enhancing the germination
potential of P. hysterophorus through releasing the dormancy behavior. The possible reasons for increase in germination was
constant dry/wet fluctuating moisture which helped P. hysterophorus seed to release dormancy. The findings of present study
may be helpful in development of timely, optimized and effective management strategies for P. hysterophorus under field
conditions.
Keywords: P. hysterophorus, germination, dormancy, alternate temperature, weed management.
Muhammad Akram, Hafiz Muhammad Akram, Ghulam Murtaza. (2022) Fluctuating temperature and soil storage conditions modulate seed germination and dormancy behavior of Parthenium hysterophorus in the changing environment, Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Sciences, Volume 59, Issue 3.
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