The testing of buffalo grass "seed", Buchloe dactyloides engelm

From the foregoing data, it is evident that the establishment of a good stand of buffalo grass from seed is strongly influenced by the character of the seed material. A poor seed set indicates a low percentage of burs which contain caryopses. Difficulty in harvesting material from the ground results in a low percentage of burs in the harvested material. Harvesting before burs are mature and have been weathered results in low germination when planted. Burs which were at least partially weathered in appearance were made to germinate in the laboratory to within 10.0% of seed set or caryopsis count, either without treatment, or by soaking, or by chilling. Burs which were immature and greenish, or mature but not weathered, gave increased germination after prolonged chilling or after warm stratification followed by cold treatment. A series of 44 such samples proved rather conclusively that the profound dormancy of this seed cannot be overcome appreciably without prolonged chilling at least for more than a month. Harvesting burs after a period of natural weathering is therefore recommended. Optimum germination tests were made in sterilized soil in Petri dishes at a daily temperature alternation of 20 degrees - 30 degrees, or 20 degrees - 35 degrees C, with light, and required 6 to 8 weeks. No germination took place at or below 10 degrees C (50 degrees F). Dormant grains were made to germinate by puncturing the pericarp. Of burs examined, the majority contained one or two caryopses per bur, a few contained three or four. In germination tests the majority of burs germinating produced one or two seedlings, a small percentage three or four. When diseased and healthy grains were present in the same bur, the germination of the healthy grains was in no way changed. The presence on occasional plants and also in most seed samples of nematode galls suggests a disease widespread in Texas and of possible economic importance.