Influence of temperature on germination of Japanese brome seed.

M.R. Haferkamp, D. Palmquist, J.A. Young, M.D. MacNeil

Abstract


Japanese brome (Bromus japonicus Thunb.), an introduced annual grass, is now common in some northern mixed-prairie communities. This species has the potential to alter both the seasonality of standing crop and forage quality. We sought to gain a greater understanding of Japanese brome seed germination by subjecting seed to a series of 55 constant or alternating temperature regimes following 3 to 9 months of dry laboratory storage. Cold and moderate temperature regimes provided optimum germination conditions (defined as not lower than the maximum observed minus one-half its confidence interval at the 0.05 level of probability). Extremely cold or warm temperatures suppressed germination. Germination of afterripened seed over a wide range of temperature combinations, many of which occur during fall in the Northern Great Plains, should enhance establishment and perpetuation of Japanese brome on rangelands.

Keywords


night temperature;Bromus japonicus;ambient temperature;seed germination;introduced species;Montana

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