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Effect of increased concentration of soil CO 2 on intermittent flushes of seed germination in Echinochloa crus‐galli var. crus‐galli
Author(s) -
Yoshioka T.,
Satoh S.,
Yamasue Y.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
plant, cell and environment
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.646
H-Index - 200
eISSN - 1365-3040
pISSN - 0140-7791
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-3040.1998.00347.x
Subject(s) - germination , echinochloa crus galli , echinochloa , carbon dioxide , nitrate , agronomy , environmental science , weed , biology , horticulture , ecology
Soil‐buried seeds of barnyardgrass ( Echinochloa crus‐galli var. crus‐galli ) germinated from April to June in three intermittent flushes. The later two flushes of germination occurred after heavy rainfall. Carbon dioxide concentration in soil air transiently increased to 30 dm 3 m –3 after the rainfall, probably due to the increase in soil temperature and water potential. Germination of exhumed seeds was stimulated by exposure to CO 2 at 30 dm 3 m –3 . Fluctuating temperature, light, water, ethylene, and nitrate are known to promote seed germination in many species. However, of these environmental factors, within ranges found in the field, only CO 2 was effective in enhancing the germination of barnyardgrass seeds. We conclude that soil CO 2 is responsible for causing intermittent flushes of germination. Detection of vegetation gaps may be explained by the responsiveness of buried seeds to CO 2 .