In 1991-1993, we investigated the incidence of seed dormancy in 25 local populations of barnyard grass, Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P.Beauv., in the western Czech Republic. The percentage of germination after 4 months afterripening of dry seeds at 25°C varied between 0.0 and 83.6%. Although there were significant annual differences in the percentage of germination at some localities, typical proportions of dormant seeds persisted over 3 years at field sites where the seed bank was not disturbed. One-way ANOVA (using data from 14 cultivated or abandoned fields) revealed that 73.0% of variance in seed dormancy incidence could be attributed to the effect of locality (P<0.001). Incidence of dormancy was not correlated with mother plant stature (dry above-ground biomass, number of tillers, maximal stem height) nor seed mass. There was a significant correlation (r =0.403, P<0.005) between dormancy incidence at natural localities in 1991 and in F offspring sown at experimental grounds at Praha-Ruzyně in 1992. The results indicate that heredity is important in maintaining local variation in seed dormancy, probably favoured by the self-pollinating reproduction of barnyard grass.
Background: The exogenous application of phytohormones to manipulate weed seed germination and emergence is a potential avenue for exploring alternative integrated weed management strategies. Greenhouse and field experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of exogenous applications of the phytohormones gibberellic acid (GA3) and abscisic acid (ABA) on waterhemp (Amaranthus tuberculatus [Moq.]) emergence.
Background: Quinoa, as a new food crop, has attracted extensive attention at home and abroad. However, the natural disaster of spike germination seriously threatens the quality and yield of quinoa. Currently, there are limited reports on the molecular mechanisms associated with spike germination in quinoa.
Apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) seeds exhibit deep embryonic dormancy. Uniform germination of isolated apple embryos is observed after 40-day-long cold stratification of the seeds.
Bone is a common and debilitating site for metastatic cancer cell expansion. Skeletal metastasis is a multistage process, with primary stages of circulating tumour cells, progressing to a dormant state in vasculature and bone marrow niches, followed by tumorigenic reactivation, proliferation, and finally bone destruction. The frequency of bone metastasis is reconciled in Paget's "seed and soil" hypothesis, where a conducive microenvironment (bone niche) is essential for cancer cell colonisation.
Background: Seed dormancy is a critical evolutionary trait that enhances the persistence of plant populations under both natural and managed conditions. It is influenced by genetic and environmental factors, with crop management practices like tillage and herbicide use reportedly selecting for increased seed dormancy in weeds. This study aimed to compare the success of seed dormancy breaking methods between weed populations collected from intensively managed crop fields and unmanaged ruderal locations.
