New Zealand Plant Protection 65 (2012): 69-73
Successful management of weed infestations requires an understanding of their biology including seedbank longevity. The controlled ageing test used by the Millennium Seed Bank, Kew Gardens, was evaluated for several grass and broadleaf weed seeds. The method aims to estimate seed longevity from a seed survival curve, using a controlled environment to accelerate seed ageing. Eight species were tested: nodding thistle (Carduus nutans), white bryony (Bryonia cretica), bat-wing passion flower (Passiflora apetala), butterprint (Abutilon theophrasti), thorn apple (Datura stramonium), apple of Peru (Nicandra physalodes), broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum) and yellow bristle grass (Setaria pumila). The suggested measure of longevity is the point where germination has fallen by 50% (P50). Seed survival tested here did not follow the ideal logistic model for analysis. Because of rapid decline in germination, the point where seeds no longer germinate (P0) is considered to be a better measure of seed longevity.
Keywords: controlled ageing test, accelerated ageing, seed testing, seed longevity.
![]() | Control of the recently-introduced weed butterprint (Abutilon theophrasti) in maize T.K. James and J.M. Cooper (2012) New Zealand Plant Protection 65: 64-68 |
---|---|
![]() | Biology and survival of broom corn millet (Panicum miliaceum) seed T.K. James, A. Rahman, C.R. McGill and P.D. Trivedi (2011) New Zealand Plant Protection 64: 142-148 |
![]() | Germination of seed from five broadleaf weeds after burial for up to 28 years in two soils T.K. James, A. Rahman and P. Trivedi (2010) New Zealand Plant Protection 63: 84-89 |
![]() | Survival of nodding thistle (Carduus nutans) seed buried at different soil depths in four soils T.K. James, A. Rahman, D.A. Wardle and K.I. Bonner (1998) Proceedings of the NZ Plant Protection Conference 51: 33-37 |
Copyright © 2012 New Zealand Plant Protection Society (Inc.).
Please refer to the terms of use.