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Mechanical Scarification of Dodder Seeds with a Handheld Rotary Tool

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Katherine M. Ghantous  and
Hilary A. Sandler
Katherine M. Ghantous*
Affiliation:
University of Massachusetts Cranberry Station, P.O. Box 569, East Wareham, MA 02538
Hilary A. Sandler
Affiliation:
University of Massachusetts Cranberry Station, P.O. Box 569, East Wareham, MA 02538
*
Corresponding author's E-mail: kghantou@psis.umass.edu.
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Abstract

Dodder seeds are physically dormant because of hard seed coats and do not readily germinate without scarification. Reliable methods of scarification for small lots of dodder seed are needed to facilitate laboratory, greenhouse, and field research projects. Dodder seed was scarified for varying times using a handheld rotary tool at the 10,000 rpm setting with a conical grinding-stone bit attached. Percentage of germination and weight change of seeds were assessed using scarification times between 0 and 4 min at 0.5-min increments. Mean seed weight loss and mean number of germinated seeds increased quadratically as scarification time increased. Scarifying for 2.5 min was judged the shortest time with maximal germination. Another study evaluated the effect of seed number (100 to 400 seeds sample−1) on the efficacy of rotary tool scarification when scarification time was held constant at 2.5 min. Percentage of germination decreased linearly as seed batch size increased. The handheld rotary tool provides consistent and repeatable scarification of dodder seed with germination rates greater than 80%.

Las semillas de Cuscuta spp. tienen latencia física debido a que sus testas son duras y no germinan fácilmente sin escarificación. Se necesitan métodos confiables de escarificación para lotes pequeños de semillas de Cuscuta para facilitar los proyectos de investigación de laboratorio, invernadero y campo. La semilla de Cuscuta fue escarificada por períodos diferentes usando una herramienta de rotación manual a 10,000 RPM a la cual se le colocó una piedra cónica de esmeril. El porcentaje de germinación y el cambio en el peso de las semillas fueron evaluados usando tiempos de escarificación entre 0 y 4 min, con incrementos de 0.5 min. La pérdida promedio en el peso de la semilla y el número promedio de semillas germinadas se incrementó cuadráticamente conforme aumentó el tiempo de escarificación. La escarificación por 2.5 min fue considerada como el tiempo más corto con máxima germinación. Otro estudio evaluó el efecto del número de semillas (de 100 a 400 semillas por muestra) en la eficacia de la herramienta rotativa cuando el tiempo de escarificación se mantuvo constante a 2.5 min. El porcentaje de germinación disminuyó linealmente conforme se incrementó la cantidad de semillas en la muestra. La herramienta rotativa manual proporciona escarificación consistente y repetible de las semillas de Cuscuta con índices de germinación superiores al 80%.

Keywords

Dodder, Cuscuta sppcranberry, Vaccinium macrocarpon AitElectric scarifierimpermeable seed coatparasitic weedpersistent seedsphysical dormancypresowing treatmentseed germination
Type
Weed Management—Techniques
Information
Weed Technology , Volume 26 , Issue 3 , September 2012 , pp. 485 - 489
Copyright
Copyright © Weed Science Society of America 

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