Germination and emergence characteristics of annual ground cherry (Physalis divaricata)‎

Abstract EN

Recently, annual ground cherry Physalis divaricata (P.

divaricata) has become a very serious damaging weed in a wide range of summer annual crops and some minor crops in western Iran.

However, data regarding the seed germination and seedling emergence behavior of this weed are limited.

Therefore, laboratory experiments were conducted in Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran during 2013 to evaluate the effect of temperature, KNO3, GA3, light, burial depth, pH, osmotic and salt stresses on seed germination and emergence of P.

divaricata collected from Kermanshah, Islamabade- Gharb, Sarpole-Zahab.

Results indicated that the seeds of P.

divaricata germinated over a relatively wide range of temperatures.

Though, the greatest germination occurred under the alternating temperature regime of (20/35°C 16 h low and 8 h high).

Generally, light had a stimulatory effect on seed germination of P.

divaricata.

Emergence of P.

divaricata decreased with the increase in burial depth.

The highest emergence percentage was recorded for seeds buried at soil depth of 0 and 1 cm (75 and 55, respectively).

The seeds failed to emerge when they were buried deeper than 4 cm.

The salt concentration 46.09 mM NaCl resulted in 50% inhibition of seed germination.

An osmotic potential of 0.43 MPa led to the inhibition of seed germination by 50%.

Germination positively responded to increasing pH level.

The maximum percentage of seed germination was shown at pH 10.

Overall, germination increased when GA3 and KNO3 were added to the germination media.

The results revealed that P.

divaricata has the potential to become a noxious weed in further areas in Iran.

Using cultivation, especially conducted during night, to deprive photoblastic seeds of P.

divaricata from light would be beneficial in reducing its seed germination and removing newly established seedlings.