Weed Science (2016) 64, 486-494

Ako H. Mahmood, Singarayer K. Florentine, Bhagirath S. Chauhan, David A McLaren, Grant C. Palmer and Wendy Wright (2016)
Influence of various environmental factors on seed germination and seedling emergence of a noxious environmental weed: Green galenia (Galenia pubescens)
Weed Science 64 (3), 486-494
Abstract: Green galenia is a South African woody prostrate perennial that was first recorded in Australia in the early 1900s and has since become a serious threat to indigenous temperate grasslands and surrounding agricultural areas. Laboratory and field based experiments were conducted to examine the effect of environmental factors on the germination and viability of green galenia seed. It was shown that green galenia was able to germinate over a broad range of temperatures, but short bursts (5 min) of high temperatures (80 C to 120 C replicating possible exposures to a fire) reduced seed germination. Seed germination was positively favored by light, declined rapidly in darkness, and decreased by > 80% at a depth of only 0.5 cm in soil. Water stress greatly reduced seed germination (45% germination at osmotic potentials below -0.2 MPa). Germination was completely inhibited at water potentials of -0.4 to -1.0 MPa. This species is moderately tolerant to salinity, with over 50% of seeds germinating at low levels of salinity (60 mM NaCl), and moderate germination (49%) occurring at 120 mM NaCl, it can germinate well in both alkaline (pH 10 – 83%) and acidic (pH 4 – 80%) conditions. The results of this study have contributed to our understanding of the germination and emergence of green galenia, and this will assist in developing tools and strategies for the long term management of this noxious weed in Victoria and other parts of Australia.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Singarayer K. Florentine, Bhagirath Singh Chauhan

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
environment - cropping system/rotation
general biology - morphology - evolution

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Galenia pubescens (weed)		Australia (South+SE)
	Galenia pubescens (weed)		South Africa