Seed Dormancy and Germination in Indiangrass

Indiangrass, Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash, is a tall, warm-season perennial grass native to the true prairie.Strains of different geographic origin vary greatly in date of seed maturity.Date of ripening of strains originating in Nebraska varies from mid-August through early October.The rather dense and narrow panicles are each capable of bearing a hundred or more spikelets.Newly harvested seed of indiangrass generally exhibits a high level of dormancy.When stored under room conditions, the seed maintains this dormancy for a year or longer. This study reported in this paper was conducted to investigate the nature of dormancy in indiangrass seed and to develop methods of reducing this seed dormancy. Spikelets harvested in three successive years from eight sources of indiangrass were evaluated for germination capability, response to dormancy reducing treatments, the effect of spikelet size on germination, and seedling emergence from soil. Advisor: E. C. Conar