Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

Award Date

1987

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department / School

Agronomy

First Advisor

Timothy J. Gutormson

Abstract

Green needlegrass (Stipa viridula Trin.) is a native, cool season perennial bunchgrass common to the northern Great Plains, Good seedling vigor, rapid recovery after defoliation, high forage yields, nutritive quality, and palatability give green needlegrass potential use in range reclamation. Green needlegrass seed dormancy can cause problems to spring field establishment problems. To alleviate field establishment problems, dormant (fall) plantings have replaced spring plantings. Seed dormancy can be completely overcome in the laboratory by a 12-week viability test (12-week stratification period); however, this is impractical as a normal procedure. Currently, the Association of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA) procedure for determining green needlegrass viability consists of a 14-day stratification (5 C) period and a 21day 15-30 C germination period (16 hours at 15 C and 8 hours at 30 C). A tetrazolium viability test is performed on seeds which remain ungerminated following the 35-day test period. The purpose of this study was to shorten green needlegrass germination testing time with various dormancy break in g seed treatments.

Library of Congress Subject Headings

Grasses -- Seeds

Grasses -- Seeds -- Dormancy

Grasses -- Seeds -- Testing

Format

application/pdf

Number of Pages

65

Publisher

South Dakota State University

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