ISSN:
1365-3180
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition
Notes:
This experiment investigated the effect of pre-germination moist chilling of seeds (for 3 weeks at 2^C) of 10 common arable weeds on the subsequent growth and flowering of the plants. In only three of the species (Alopecurus myosuroides Huds., Veronica persica Poir. and Trifolium dubium Sibth.) was flowering markedly increased by the seed chilling treatments. At 3 months, the mean number of flowers and seed heads per plant on the treated plants was greater than that on the controls by factors of 13.9, 2.02 and 1.74 respectively. Shoot lengths of the seed-chilled plants were also significantly greater in all three species, though dry weights did not differ significantly from those of the controls. Thus, the plants showed morphological changes associated with reproduction but no significant alteration in total dry weight. The ecological implications of the data are discussed in relation to possible effects of climatic change on species which require seed vernalization.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3180.1995.tb01646.x
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