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The effect of nitrogen fertilizers on the germination and seedling emergence of wild oat ( A. fatua L.) seed in different soil types
Author(s) -
AGENBAG G. A.,
VILLIERS O. T.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
weed research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.693
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1365-3180
pISSN - 0043-1737
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-3180.1989.tb00908.x
Subject(s) - seedling , germination , loam , avena fatua , dormancy , agronomy , seeding , biology , ammonium , nitrogen , ammonium nitrate , nitrification , fertilizer , chemistry , horticulture , soil water , ecology , organic chemistry
Summary Ammonium‐containing fertilizers such as granular limestone ammonium nitrate (LAN) and liquid ammonium nitrate (AN) proved to be most effective in stimulating germination and emergence of wild oat in sandy and loamy soil. In pot experiments, rates as low as 25 kg N ha −1 , significantly increased seedling emergence of wild oat. In sandy soil percentage emergence increased with increasing levels of LAN‐fertilizer up to 125 kg N ha −1 which gave 76·1 % emergence after 60 days. In control pots where no nitrogen was applied, only 21·6% of seeds planted emerged after 60 days, In loamy soil, as for AN in both soil types, high levels of LAN initially delayed seedling emergence. This negative effect disappeared approximately 15 days after seeding, resulting in no significant difference in emergence of wild oat where 25 to 125 kg N ha −1 was applied as LAN or AN. All these rates, however, increased seedling emergence between 25 and 35% compared to the no‐nitrogen treatments. Since the same rate of ammonia gas is not equally effective in breaking dormancy of semi‐ and deeply dormant wild oat seed, results of these experiments are not necessarily applicable to wild oat seeds differing in dormancy status.