Release of seed dormancy in field plantings of eastern gamagrass

Seed dormancy is a main factor limiting the use of eastern gamagrass (Tripsacum dactyloides L.) for forage and conservation purposes; however, there is little available information on the seed bank dynamics of eastern gamagrass plantings. Knowledge of the degree and rate of seed dormancy loss would improve decisions concerning eastern gamagrass plantings and provide a better understanding of the seed bank longevity for this species. In this study, cold, moist stratified seed or unstratified seed was planted at 2.5- and 5.0-cm depths on 16 Aug. 1999, 1 Nov. 1999, 14 April 2000, 15 May 2000, and 16 June 2000 for the first year of the study and 15 Aug. 2000, 31 Oct. 2000, 17 April 2001, 15 May 2001, and 15 June 2001 in the second year. Plants and seeds were retrieved at 3, 6, 9, and 12 mo after planting of 50 seeds for each seed treatment and planting depth combination. Intact seeds were germinated for 28 d and the viability of ungerminated seeds was determined with a tetrazolium test. Seed dormancy of both stratified and unstratified eastern gamagrass seed was lost mostly between mid-September and mid-November. No more than 12% dormant seed remained after mid-December and dormancy was completely lost by April and May. Seed dormancy in eastern gamagrass was substantially reduced with several weeks of soil temperatures below 15 degrees C and adequate soil moisture.