[Evaluation of the emergence of seven species in the natural annual mediterranean grasslands under four levels of soil humidity]
1993
Beck C, Claudio Ramiro
The effect of soil humidity on seed emergency of seven annual mediterranean pasture species was evaluated. The studies were carried out at the La Rinconada Experiment Station, Universidad de Chile. The species evaluated were: Avena spp., Bromus berterianus, Erodium botrys, Erodium malacoides, Erodium moschatum, Hordeum murinum and Vulpia dertonensis. Four treatments consisting of different levels of matrix potentials: -0,03 MPa, -0,3 MPa, -0,6 MPa, -0,9 MPa were used. The species were seeded on boxes 5 cm between rows and 1,5 cm within the row. The experiment started when the desired soil humidity level was reached on each box. After that each box was covered with a plastic film in order to keep humidity constant throughout the experiment. It was found that seed emergency for all species was negatively affected by decreasing soil humidity. This effect varied according to the species. Critical soil humidity for emergency in all species was around 8% (-0,9 MPa). -Below that level the seeds only reached the initial stages of germination. The soil humidity level of -0,03 MPa (field capacity) showed the highest percentage of seed emergency for all species. Hordeum murinum and Erodium malacoides were the most tolerant to low soil humidity levels among the species studied. The soil humidity of -0.3 MPa would correspond to what is known as effective rain because all the species in the experiment emerged under this regime. The next humidity level (-0,6 MPa) was not enough to allow emergency for any of the species in the experiment
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