Seed dormancy in serrated tussock (Nassella trichotoma (Nees) Arech.) in New South Wales
M.H. Campbell and H.I. Nicol, NSW Agriculture, Orange Agricultural Institute, Orange, New South Wales 2800, Australia.
Summary
Serrated tussock (Nassella trichotoma (Nees) Arech.) seeds harvested when mature in December 1994, 1995 and 1996, from two locations 50 km apart in New South Wales, Australia and stored in brown paper bags in light/dark in a laboratory, had dormancy periods of up to five months before normal germination occurred. This dormancy was broken to some extent by cutting off 0.4 mm of the awn end of the seed indicating that the covering structures on the seed were restricting germination. Dormancy was also partially broken by gibberellic acid + potassium nitrate and by cutting + gibberellic acid/potassium nitrate. Seeds stored in a laboratory for 2, 14, 24 and 34 years had, respectively, 88%, 0-7%, 0% and 0% germination.
Plant Protection Quarterly (1999) 14 (3) 82-85.