Abstract
Black nightshade (Solanum nigrum L.) is a troublesome weed worldwide, affecting a large number of crops. As weed development is affected by a variety of factors, advanced knowledge on the plant’s biological and ecological qualities can support favorable management strategies. Seed density is an ecological factor affecting emergence and early growth of many weed species. For that reason, the current study characterizes and quantifies the seed density impact on black nightshade seedling-emergence and early growth, and the interaction between seed density and burial depth on these growth parameters. Greenhouse studies conducted in 2005, 2006 and 2010 examined black nightshade seed densities of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 seeds per pot, buried at, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 cm. Impact of seed density on weed emergence and growth was characterized by number of emerged plants and leaves, followed by biomass measurements. Seed density had no impact on emergence at the tested burial depths. There was a strong logistic relationship (P < 0.001, and R 2 > 0.97) between time and emergence, and a strong linear relationship (P < 0.002 and R 2 > 0.86) between time and number of leaves produced in all depths and seed densities. A negative relationship was observed between seed density and plant development and growth rate. Results of this study extend the knowledge on black nightshade biology and support decision-making concerning rational weed management.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Antonovics, J., & Levin, D. A. (1980). The ecological and genetic consequences of density-dependent regulation in plants. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, 11, 411–452.
Bergelson, J., & Perry, R. (1989). Interspecific competition between seeds: relative planting date and density affect seedling emergence. Ecology, 70, 1639–1644.
Bewley, J., & Black, M. (1994). Seeds: Physiology of development and germination (2nd ed., pp. 66–70). New York, NY: Plenum.
Bhowmik, P. C. (1997). Weed biology: Importance to weed management. Weed Science, 45, 349–356.
Brown, R. F., & Mayer, D. G. (1988). Representing cumulative germination. The use of the Weibull function and other empirically derived curves. Annals of Botany, 61, 127–138.
Chauhan, B. S., Gill, G., & Preston, C. (2006). Influence of environmental factors on seed germination and seedling emergence of rigid ryegrass (Lolium rigidum). Weed Science, 54, 1004–1012.
Chauvel, B., Guillemin, J. P., & Letouzé, A. (2005). Effect of intra-specific competition on development and growth of Alopecurus myosuroides Hudson. European Journal of Agronomy, 22, 301–308.
Crotser, M. P., Witt, W. W., & Spomer, L. A. (2003). Neutral density shading and far-red radiation influence black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) and eastern black nightshade (Solanum ptycanthum) growth. Weed Science, 51, 208–213.
Defelice, M. S. (2003). The black nightshades, Solanum nigrum L. et al.—poison, poultice, and pie. Weed Technology, 17, 421–427.
Dyer, A. R., Fenech, A., & Rice, K. J. (2000). Accelerated seedling emergence in interspecific competitive neighborhoods. Ecology Letters, 3, 523–529.
Eizenberg, H., Colquhoun, J. B., & Mallory-Smith, C. A. (2005). A predictive degree-days model for small broomrape (Orobanche minor) parasitism in red clover in Oregon. Weed Science, 53, 37–40.
Eizenberg, H., Colquhoun, J. B., & Mallory-Smith, C. A. (2006). Imazamox application timing for small broomrape (Orobanche minor) control in red clover (Trifolium pratense). Weed Science, 54, 923–927.
Evans, S. P., Knezevic, S. Z., Lindquist, J. L., Shapiro, C. A., & Blankenship, E. E. (2003). Nitrogen application influences the critical period of weed control in corn. Weed Science, 51, 408–417.
Forcella, F. (1993). Seedling emergence model for velvetleaf. Agronomy Journal, 85, 929–933.
Forcella, F. (1998). Real-time assessment of seed dormancy and seedling growth for weed management. Weed Science, 8, 201–209.
Grundy, A. C., Mead, A., & Burston, S. (2003). Modeling the emergence response of weed seeds to burial depth: interactions with seed density, weight and shape. Journal of Applied Ecology, 40, 757–770.
Hyatt, J., Wendroth, O. D., Egli, B., & TeKrony, D. M. (2007). Soil compaction and soybean seedling emergence. Crop Science, 47, 2495–2503.
Kremer, E., & Lotz, L. A. P. (1998). Germination and emergence characteristics of triazine-susceptible and triazine-resistant biotypes of Solanum nigrum. Journal of Applied Ecology, 35, 302–310.
Liu, J., Mahoney, K. J., Sikkema, P. H., & Swanton, C. J. (2009). The importance of light quality in crop-weed competition. Weed Research, 49, 217–224.
Mabberley, D. J. (1997). The plant-book: A portable dictionary of the vascular plants (2nd ed.). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Maddonni, G. A., & Otegui, M. E. (2004). Intra-specific competition in maize: Early establishment of hierarchies among plants affects final kernel set. Field Crop Research, 85, 1–13.
Mahoney, K. J., & Swanton, C. J. (2008). Nitrogen and light affect the adaptive traits of common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album). Weed Science, 56, 81–90.
Mennan, H., & Ngouajio, M. (2006). Seasonal cycles in germination and seedling emergence of summer and winter populations of catchweed bedstraw (Galium aparine) and wild mustard (Brassica kaber). Weed Science, 54, 114–120.
Ogg, A. G., Jr., & Rogers, B. S. (1989). Taxonomy, distribution, biology, and control of black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) and related species in the United States and Canada. Weed Science, 4, 25–58.
Pagano, E., & Maddonni, G. A. (2007). Intra-specific competition in maize: Early established hierarchies differ in plant growth and biomass partitioning to the ear around silking. Field Crop Research, 101, 306–320.
Page, E. R., Tollenaar, M., Lee, E. A., Lukens, L., & Swanton, C. J. (2010). Timing, effect, and recovery from intraspecific competition in maize. Agronomy Journal, 102, 1007–1013.
Peachey, R. E., & Mallory-Smith, C. (2007). Influence of winter seed position and recovery date on hairy nightshade (Solanum sarrachoides) recruitment and seed germination, dormancy, and mortality. Weed Science, 55, 49–59.
Piggin, C. M. (1976). Factors affecting seedling establishment of Echium plantagineum L., Trifolium subterranean L. and Lolium rigidum Gaud. Weed Research, 16, 267–272.
Rajcan, I., Chandler, K. J., & Swanton, C. J. (2004). Red–far-red ratio of reflected light: A hypothesis why early-season weed control is important in corn. Weed Science, 52, 774–778.
Rathore, T. R., Ghildyal, B. P., & Sachan, R. S. (1981). Germination and emergence of soybean under crusted soil conditions. Plant and Soil, 62, 97–105.
Shen, J., Shen, M., Wang, X., & Lu, Y. (2005). Effect of environmental factors on shoot emergence and vegetative growth of alligator weed (Alternanthera philoxeroides). Weed Science, 53, 471–478.
Taab, A., & Andersson, L. (2009). Primary dormancy and seedling emergence of black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) and hairy nightshade (Solanum physalifolium). Weed Science, 57, 526–532.
Tielborger, K., & Valleriani, A. (2005). Can seeds predict their future? germination strategies of density-regulated desert annuals. Oikos, 111, 235–244.
Turkington, R. (2005). Effects of density on timing of emergence and its consequences for survival and growth in two communities of annual plants. Journal of Arid Environments, 61, 377–396.
Zhou, J., Deckard, E. L., & Ahrens, W. H. (2005). Factors affecting germination of hairy nightshade (Solanum sarrachoides) seeds. Weed Science, 53, 41–45.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Lati, R.N., Filin, S. & Eizenberg, H. Black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) emergence and development is affected by seed density and burial depth. Phytoparasitica 40, 195–203 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12600-011-0210-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12600-011-0210-4