Survival of weed seeds subjected to sheep rumen digestion

An experiment was conducted to examine the effect of sheep rumen digestion on the viability of the seeds of eight weed and two crop species common in Lebanon. Seed samples were put in small monofilament polyester bags and placed in the rumen of fistulated sheep for 1, 2, 3 and 4 days. The viability of the seeds 4 days after placement in the rumen was 85percent for Cuscuta campestris, 76percent for Amaranthus retroflexus, 31percent for Convolvulus arvensis, 17percent for Chenopodium album, 10percent for Eleusine indica, and 1.3percent for Setaria viridis, compared with the control. Seeds of Lolium multiflorum and Raphanus raphanistrum died 2 days after placement in the rumen, while seeds of Lens culinaris and Hordeum vulgare, which were tested for comparison, died 1 day after placement in the rumen. The seeds most tolerant to incubation were Cuscuta campestris and Amaranthus retroflexus, followed by Convolvulus arvensis, Chenopodium album and Eleusine indica. The results indicate that sheep could be an important vector for dispersing viable weed seeds, particularly hard-coated seeds. Thus, sheep should be kept in pens for about 4 days before being released into new fields, to reduce the risk of weed infestation and spread. © 2010 The Authors. Weed Research © 2010 European Weed Research Society.

BALLARD L. A. T., 1958, AUSTRALIAN JOUR BIOL SCI, V11, P246; BUHLER DD, 1999, ANDERSENS GUIDE PRAC, P248; Curtis K. M. S., 1990, Proceedings of the Australian Society of Animal Production, V18, P180; DASTGHEIB F, 1989, WEED RES, V29, P113, DOI 10.1111-j.1365-3180.1989.tb00848.x; EDGECOMBE W S, 1970, P457; ESTELL RE, 1986, J ANIM SCI, V60, P1061; GARDENER CJ, 1993, J APPL ECOL, V30, P63, DOI 10.2307-2404271; HAIDAR MA, 1995, ARAB NEAR E PLANT PR, P34; Haidar MA, 1997, WEED RES, V37, P219, DOI 10.1046-j.1365-3180.1997.d01-36.x; HEADY HAROLD F., 1954, JOUR RANGE MANAGEMENT, V7, P259, DOI 10.2307-3893928; HENDRICKS SB, 1976, PLANT PHYSIOL, V58, P7, DOI 10.1104-pp.58.1.7; Kneuper CL, 2003, J RANGE MANAGE, V56, P255, DOI 10.2307-4003815; LACY JR, 1992, WEED TECHNOL, V6, P599; Landau S, 2006, LIVEST SCI, V105, P265, DOI 10.1016-j.livsci.2006.05.024; Manzano P, 2005, SEED SCI RES, V15, P21, DOI 10.1079-SSR2004192; Michael PJ, 2006, AUST J EXP AGR, V46, P1251, DOI 10.1071-EA05285; Olson BE, 2002, J RANGE MANAGE, V55, P65, DOI 10.2307-4003264; Olson BE, 1997, J RANGE MANAGE, V50, P10, DOI 10.2307-4002698; PIGGIN CM, 1978, WEED RES, V18, P155, DOI 10.1111-j.1365-3180.1978.tb01152.x; Schoenbaum I, 2009, CROP PASTURE SCI, V60, P675, DOI 10.1071-CP08283; SIMAO NM, 1987, AUSTR J EXPT AGR, V27, P247, DOI 10.1071-EA9870247; Stanton R, 2003, AUST J EXP AGR, V43, P535, DOI 10.1071-EA02046; Stanton R, 2002, AUST J EXP AGR, V42, P111, DOI 10.1071-EA01069; WALLANDER RT, 1995, J RANGE MANAGE, V48, P145, DOI 10.2307-4002802

2

3

3