Environmental factors affecting seed germination and seedling emergence of waxy-leaved mustard Boreava orientalis

Abstract

Waxy-leaved mustard Boreava orientalis Jaub. and Spach. has recently become farmland invasive weed in the Kurdistan province, Iran. Hence this study was conducted better to understand the seed germination ecology of B. orientalis. Therefore, in this study, the effect of temperature and osmotic potential, salinity, and burial depth on seed germination and seedling emergence of B. orientalis was investigated in the Weed Research Laboratory of the University of Kurdistan in 2020. Seed germination of B. orientalis was determined at 10, 20, 30, and 35 °C. Boreava orientalis seeds were germinated in an aqueous solution with the osmotic potential of 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 MPa. The levels of salt stress consisted of control 0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 mM. The burial depths were 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12 cm. The results revealed that germination started at 5 ºC with 0 osmotic potential, and no germination occurred at 30 and 35 °C with different osmotic potentials. The Lowest germination was at 30 and 35 °C; the highest was at 0 Mm NaCl concentration, and the lowest was at 200 Mm of NaCl. The highest germination was at 0 depth, and the lowest was at 12 cm. These results indicate that the germination of this weed species is sensitive and thus greatly reduced under drought and high-temperature conditions. It was also sensitive to both salinity stress and deep burial.

Keywords

• dormancy
• invasion
• invasive weed
• ecological factors