ABSTRACT Junglerice (Echinochloa colona L. Link) seed dormancy can persist 8 months after harvest and, once overcome, seeds can germinate over a long period of time. Light or high temperatures could overcome seed dormancy, while the effects of seed coat softening and nitrate addition are not well known. This study aimed to determine the germinative response, persistence and treatments to overcome seed dormancy of junglerice. Seed samples were taken from a monoculture crop (soybean, S1) and a 3-yr rotation crop (wheat/soybean-corn-soybean, S2). Every 3 wk for 30 wk, hot-water washed (WW) seeds were evaluated. After 33 wk of storage, the effects of potassium nitrate (KNO3), dehulling (DE), WW, previous water immersion (IM) and exogenous gibberellic acid (GA) were evaluated in three different experiments (pre-germinative tests with KNO3, DE and WW; KNO3 and IM; and GA). The results showed that seed dormancy persisted until 21 wk. From 21 to 30 wk, germination response increased by 25 and 59 % on WW-treated seeds from S1 and S2, respectively. After 33 wk of storage, only KNO3 was significantly higher (p < 0.05), with 88 and 126 % increases in seed germination in S1 and S2, respectively. These results indicate that junglerice seed dormancy is not related to glumes. Hot water improves the germinative response probably due to an acceleration in post-harvest maturation, while KNO3 is a positive regulator to overcome seed dormancy.

Foram conduzidos experimentos sob condições controladas, a fim de se investigar os efeitos de doses reduzidas de nicosulfuron, no controle e rebrota de populações de capim massambará (Sorghum halepense), de sete localidades da Argentina, visando programas de manejo integrado. As populações das regiões úmidas registraram maior sensibilidade a doses reduzidas de nicosulfuron, em relação àquelas das regiões subúmidas. Esse efeito foi observado nos valores do coeficiente de regressão, das curvas de dose-resposta de modelo log-logístico, que relacionam a biomassa fresca com doses de nicosulfuron; tal efeito foi observado também no tempo necessário para se obter 50% da redução da fotossíntese e da condutância estomática. O menor intercâmbio de CO2, obtido nessas populações subúmidas, pode ter contribuído para a absorção e translocação mais baixa do nicosulfuron, tendo produzido menor controle e, conseqüentemente, tendo aumentado sua capacidade de rebrotar e produzir nova biomassa aérea ao final do ciclo. As três populações das regiões subúmidas, com menor sensibilidade ao nicosulfuron, apresentaram uma diferença substancial na biomassa fresca, no comprimento total e no número de nódulos dos rizomas, quando foram avaliadas vinte semanas após o tratamento com herbicida. Os resultados obtidos sugerem que se forem usadas doses de nicosulfuron menores do que as recomendadas, pode ocorrer uma severa rebrota do capim massambará em regiões subúmidas.

The control and regrowth after nicosulfuron reduced rate treatment of Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense L. Pers.) populations, from seven Argentinean locations, were evaluated in pot experiments to assess if differential performance could limit the design and implementation of integrated weed management programs. Populations from humid regions registered a higher sensibility to reduced rates of nicosulfuron than populations from subhumid regions. This effect was visualised in the values of regression coefficient of the non-linear models (relating fresh weight to nicosulfuron rate), and in the time needed to obtain a 50% reduction of photosynthesis rate and stomatal conductance. The least leaf CO2 exchange of subhumid populations could result in a lower foliar absorption and translocation of nicosulfuron, thus producing less control and increasing their ability to sprout and produce new aerial biomass. The three populations from subhumid regions, with less sensibility to nicosulfuron rates, presented substantial difference in fresh weight, total rhizome length and number of rhizome nodes, when they were evaluated 20 week after treatment. In consequence, a substantial Johnsongrass re-infestation could occur, if rates below one-half of nicosulfuron labeled rate were used to control Johnsongrass in subhumid regions.

The objective of this study was (i) to determine the presence of genotype-environment interaction (GXE) in Avena sativa l. for above dry matter yield of Schizaphis graminun tolerant and non-tolerant genotypes according to two different models: additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) and factorial correspondence analysis; and (ii) to study and compare the results obtained with these models. Twelve genotypes and 12 environments were conducted at La Dulce and La Plata (Argentina) during three years (1993, 1994 and 1995). The environment (E), genotype (G) and GxE factors explained a 41.15%, 7.88% and 36.36% of the total sum of square, respectively. The first three axes of principal component analysis of AMMI were highly significant (p<0.001), explaining a 57.99%, 29.03% and 6.27% of interaction sum of square. The first three factorial correspondence coordinates accounted for 58.98%, 29.58% and 5.60% of the interaction sum of square. The relationships between tolerant genotypes-first clipping environments and non-tolerant genotypes-second clipping environments were reflected in the biplots of both models. The simultaneous use of AMMI and factorial correspondence analysis appeared as a useful methodology for the study of GxE interaction in the oat breeding for tolerance to Schizaphis graminum.

El objetivo fue (i) determinar la presencia de interacción genotipo-ambiente (IGA) en la producción forrajera de avena (Avena sativa L.) de genotipos tolerantes y no tolerantes a Schizaphis graminum empleando un número bajo de ambientes en la provincia de Buenos Aires (Argentina) mediante los modelos de efectos principales aditivos e interacción multiplicativa (AMMI) y análisis factorial de correspondencias (AFC) y (ii) comparar los resultados obtenidos por ambos métodos. Los ensayos se condujeron en La Dulce (Argentina) y La Plata (Argentina) (1993, 1994 y 1995). Se evaluaron 12 genotipos (comerciales y líneas avanzadas) en 12 ambientes (combinación de localidad, años y cortes). Los factores ambiente, genotipo e interacción explicaron un 41,15% (p<0,001), 7,88% (p<0,05) y 36,36% (p<0,001) de la suma de cuadrados del total respectivamente. El modelo AMMI mostró los tres primeros ejes del análisis de componentes principales (ACP) altamente significativos (p<0,001), explicando un 57,99%, 29,03% y 6,27% de la suma de cuadrados de la interacción respectivamente. Las tres primeros ejes del AFC explicaron un 58,98%, 29,58% y 5,60% de dicha suma de cuadrados, respectivamente. El uso conjunto de ambos métodos surge como una herramienta muy útil para reflejar y caracterizar la existencia de interacción genotipo-ambiente en avena.