Basic biological characteristics of weed seeds

Abstract

Various biological characteristics of weed seeds were investigated. Weed seeds differ in many aspects from those of agricultural seeds. The difference results from a centuries-long struggle against the forces of nature, and especially from human activities aimed at controlling them. Weed seeds differ from those of agricultural crops regarding their biological (anatomical, morphological, physiological), and physical characteristics. The biological characteristics especially include: seed production, irregularity of maturing periods, seed viability, dormancy and germination intervals, while the physical characteristics of weed seeds relate to: seed and fruit shape, size, character of the seed surface, absolute and specific mass, etc. Knowing the biological characteristics of weed seeds has great practical value both for forecasting weediness of a particular crop, and for planning and applying control measures, while data on the physical characteristics are relevant to the expansion of weeds, their identification and steps to be taken to acquire pure agricultural seeds. Research of the mechanisms of genetic, physiological and biological control of different phenomena and processes in weed seeds could prove invaluable for creating new cultivars and hybrids of agricultural crops.

U radu se razmatraju osnovne biološke karakteristike semena korovskih biljaka: produkcija semena, neravnomernost sazrevanja, dugovečnost i životna sposobnost, klijanje semena, periodičnost klijanja, primarna i sekundarna dormatnost semena. Posebno je ukazano na rezerve semena u zemljištu, pogotovo u uslovima jake zakorovljenosti, raspored semena u zemljištu u zavisnosti od sistema obrade zemljišta kao i uticaj različitih faktora i mera na količinu semena u zemljištu. Na osnovu razmatranja rezultata velikog broja istraživača u radu se ukazuje na zakonitosti i mogućnosti upravljanja ovim procesima kako bi se na osnovu toga moglo znati kada i koliko semena će klijati u određenim klimatskim i zemljišnim uslovima.