germination

Problem weeds in agriculture, such as Lolium rigidum Gaud., owe some of their success to their large and dormant seed banks, which permit germination throughout a crop-growing season. Dormant weed seed banks could be greatly depleted by application of a chemical that stimulates early-season germination and then kills the young seedlings. Fluridone, a phytoene desaturase-inhibiting herbicide that can also break seed dormancy, was assessed for its efficacy in this regard.

α-Amylase in grass caryopses (seeds) is usually expressed upon commencement of germination and is rarely seen in dry, mature seeds. A heat-stable α-amylase activity was unexpectedly selected for expression in dry annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) seeds during targeted selection for low primary dormancy.

Lolium rigidum (annual or rigid ryegrass) is a widespread annual weed in cropping systems of southern Australia. Seeds exhibit dormancy at dispersal and require a period of dry after-ripening to release dormancy, before germination and emergence can occur.

This study investigated a possible link between seed dormancy and herbicide resistance status of Lolium rigidum (annual or rigid ryegrass). Mature seeds were collected from 406 populations across the 14-million hectare grain belt of southern Western Australia.

Dormancy release in freshly matured, imbibed annual ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) seeds is inhibited by light and involves a decrease in seed sensitivity to abscisic acid. Other processes involved in dormancy release in the dark were investigated by measuring seed storage compound mobilisation and the activity of cell wall-degrading enzymes.