Role of temperature, position and seed-coat in the regulation of wild oat population germination

Wild oats seed is dormant and seeds can persist in the soil for a long time. Factors that influence germination are temperature, seed position and seed coat. Thus, laboratory experiments were conducted at University of Tehran, Collage of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, to study the effect of temperature, seed positin and seed coat on seed germination of four population of Avena ludoviciana. The experimental design was a completely randomized design with factorial arrangement of treatments with three replications. Experimental treatments were seed position (lower and upper seeds), temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 ◦c). Response of germination rate against temperature was described with sigmoid function for each population. The results in laboratory showed that the lowest germination percentage (GP) and germination rate (GR) were obtained in Qaemshahr primary and secondary seed without coat, with lowest seed weight among all populations studied. Big seed without coat had higher germination percentages (%80) than small seed (%56) in Qaemshahr. In contrast, Kamyaran with highest seed weight had higher germination percentages and germination rate. In Kamyaran population big seed without coat had higher germination percentages and germination rate than small seed. . Decreasing in GP and GR in seed with coat compare to seed without coat in Marvdasht and Mahidasht, were observed. However, management plans could be proposed at regional scale according to the approach of modifying the patterns of agronomic to which the local populations have adapted.