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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Booneville, Arkansas » Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #60783
Title: SEED GERMINATION OF ROUNDHEAD LESPEDEZA

Author
item Springer, Timothy
item MCGRAW, R - UNIV OF MISSOURI

Submitted to: Agronomy Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/29/1995
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Roundhead lespedeza, Lespedeza capitata Michx., is a perennial warm- season legume distributed throughout the central and eastern United States. This native legume is highly palatable to livestock and its seed and foliage provide food and habitat for wildlife. As promising as it is, roundhead lespedeza is susceptible to overgrazing and is slow to establish via natural reseeding. The objectives of this research were t determine natural (seed nonscarified) and artificial (seed scarified) germination of seed harvested from 30 plant accessions grown at Booneville, AR and Columbia, MO. Differences in germination of nonscarified seed at the end of 21 days were attributed to plant accession, harvest site, and plant accession by harvest site interactions. Germination of nonscarified seed at the end of 21 days averaged 3.1% for seed grown in AR and 6.9% for seed grown in MO. Differences in germination of scarified seed over the same test period were attributed only to plant accession. Germination of scarified seed averaged 86.6% for seed grown in AR and 90.6% for seed grown in MO. Seed scarification would be necessary for successful establishment.