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Germination of Medusahead in Response to Osmotic Stress

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2017

James A. Young ,
Raymond A. Evans ,
Richard O. Gifford  and
Richard E. Eckert Jr.
James A. Young
Affiliation:
Crops Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Reno, Nevada
Raymond A. Evans
Affiliation:
Crops Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Reno, Nevada
Richard O. Gifford
Affiliation:
Plant, Soil, and Water Science, University of Nevada, Reno
Richard E. Eckert Jr.
Affiliation:
Crops Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Reno, Nevada
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Abstract

Requirements for germination and rate of juvenile root and shoot elongation of 23 medusahead (Taeniatherum asperum (Sim.) Nevski) selections were investigated in relation to osmotic stress. These were compared with the germination and elongation characteristics of other grasses. Aqueous solutions of different osmotic pressures were obtained by dissolving polyethylene glycol in water. Successive 4-bar increases in osmotic pressure markedly reduced medusahead germination until germination terminated at 16 bars. Other grass species exhibited higher germination than medusahead under osmotic stress. Medusahead juvenile root and shoot elongation under low and moderate osmotic pressure exceeded all other species tested.

Type
Research Article
Information
Weed Science , Volume 16 , Issue 3 , July 1968 , pp. 364 - 368
Copyright
Copyright © Weed Science Society of America 

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References

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