Germination takes 10-15 days. Once a seed had germinated, it was counted and removed from the Petri dish using tweezers. These results suggested that A. houstonianum was a primarily a surface-emerging species and seedling emergence of seed buried deeper than 2 mm depths would be significantly reduced or even completely inhibited. Put seeds no closer than 1/2-inch apart in a larger container or one seed per peat pellet. No, PLOS is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation, #C2354500, based in San Francisco, California, US, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0225430, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0191710, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0214480. You can either create shallow drills or furrows or scatter seeds lightly before covering with a … Use warm water for irrigation. For each experiment, the imposed treatments (water potential, pH, light, burial depth, and dormancy period) were considered as fixed effects, while replications and experimental runs were considered as random factors. The average size of A. houstonianum seeds used in this study was 1.5 mm with a 2.5 to 3 mm long pappus attached to it. When the seeds that failed to germinate in the various treatments were washed with distilled water and placed back in the germination chamber in petri dishes with new filter paper, approximately 80% of the seeds exposed to various water potentials germinated, indicating that the seeds were still viable. Position in full sun to part shade. Data that failed to meet the assumptions of normality and were transformed using log10 procedure prior to analysis (data for the pH experiment did not need transformation). DAYS TO GERMINATION: 7-10 days at 75-80°F (24-27°C). However, there are no reports, other than distribution, on the ecology of this species in Nepal. Seed germination in the distilled water treatment (0 MPa) was considered 100% and germination under the other water potential treatments were expressed as relative to the 0 MPa treatment. Investigation, Germination 10-14 days. However, it was not determined if the seeds buried deeper than 2 mm failed to germinate or if they did germinate but failed to emerge. Twenty-five seeds were placed in Petri dishes lined with Whatman No. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0225430, Editor: Craig Eliot Coleman, Brigham Young University, UNITED STATES, Received: August 22, 2019; Accepted: November 4, 2019; Published: November 21, 2019. Harden off and transplant after the danger of frost has passed. Germination 10-14 days at 72 to 75ºF (22 to 24ºC). No, Is the Subject Area "Water stress" applicable to this article? For example, a study evaluated the effect of temperature and water stress on seed germination of A. conyzoides [9]. A zipper bag in the refrigerator is a great place to keep seeds until you are ready to plant. Lack of dormancy periods in A. houstonianum suggests that this species can spread rapidly in an area as the seeds can germinate as soon as they fall from the mother plants provided that adequate soil moisture and light is present, and that the seeds are not buried more than 2 mm deep in the soil or covered by debris, mulch, or litter. Such emergence patterns have been reported in several Asteraceae weed species such as C. canadensis [12]. SOWING: Transplant (recommended): Sow 6-8 weeks before the last frost. Data curation, Any seed that failed to germinate in each treatment was collected carefully with a tweezer, washed in distilled water, transferred to a Petri dish lined with a filter paper, 10 ml of distilled water was added, and the Petri dish was placed back into the chamber. where y is the response variable; a is the upper asymptote (maximum); x is the fixed variable; x0 is the water potential or seed burial depth resulting in 50% value of y; and b is the slope of the curve at x0. Temperature During Germination. Start ageratum seeds in February to March (8-10 weeks). For the other treatments (2, 5, 10, 15, and 20 mm depths), soil was first filled to the corresponding depth, twenty seeds were then placed at the designated depth, and then soil was added to the surface of the pot; thus, burying the seeds at each targeted depths. 15-18°C. When to Set Outside Ltd., Ambala Cantt., Haryana, India) in a laboratory of the National Gene Bank of the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC), Khumaltar, Lalitpur, Nepal. The Petri dishes were then sealed with parafilm and placed in the seed germination chamber set at a constant temperature of 20 ± 2°C. No, Is the Subject Area "Invasive species" applicable to this article? For more information about PLOS Subject Areas, click Transplant to cell packs or larger containers when the first true leaves appear. Effect of water potential on germination of A. houstonianum seeds incubated in a seed germination chamber at 20˚C20˚C for 29 days. Similarly, a lot more information is available on the biology and ecology of other Asteraceae family species such as Artemesia [10, 11] and Conyza [12] because of their ornamental value, invasiveness, or resistance to several herbicides globally. The experiment was arranged as a completely randomized design with eight replications and was conducted twice. [25, 26]. Petri dishes were lined with Whatman No. Start with high-quality seed from a reputable dealer. Ageratum also known as Floss Flower, ageratum is a vigorous polyploid variety with clusters of fluffy powder puff blooms. National Gene Bank, Nepal Agricultural Research Council, Lalitpur, Nepal, Roles Care & Maintenance: Ageratum here. The warming mat should be set at 75 degrees F during the day and 58 degrees F at night. Plants should germinate within five to 10 days. The experiment was arranged as a completely randomized designed with eight replications per treatment and was conducted twice. Also, the seeds were positively photoblastic and would need some amount of light to germinate. The soil was autoclaved and passed through a 3-mm sieve. It has been reported that seeds of A. conyzoides were photoblastic and germination was phytochrome mediated [9]. Germination Instructions. Take 10 seeds & place on the damp towel. However, the longevity of the seeds in the seedbank needs to be determined. How to grow ageratums in a pot. The regression line represents a three-parameter sigmoid model fitted to the data. Since there was no treatment by experimental run for any of the experiments, data for the two runs were combined for each experiment. Do a germination test to check your seed’s viability: Fold a dampened paper towel in half. 1 filter paper. Twenty-five seeds of A. houstonianum were placed in Petri dishes lined with Whatman No. Similarly, it was reported that light was a requirement for germination of ten Asteraceae species which had individual seed weights less than 0.5 mg [23]. When seedlings are large enough to handle transplant to … Choose a pot at least 200mm wide and deep. Starting Indoors: Sow indoors 6-8 weeks before planting out and keep at 75°F until germination occurs, then at about 65-75°F. The first round of the experiment was initiated on July 4, 2018 and the second round on July 22, 2018 respectively. Citation: Lamsal A, Devkota MP, Shrestha DS, Joshi S, Shrestha A (2019) Seed germination ecology of Ageratum houstonianum: A major invasive weed in Nepal. Ageratum Blue Mink Seeds Floss Flower A. houstonianum (Compositae) Neat, compact ‘powderpuffs’ for edging. However, very little information is available on the germination biology and ecology of this species. Ageratum houstonianum Blue Mink and over 1000 other quality seeds for sale. Yes Germination lighting: Light required Germination days: 3 - 5 days Grow on temperature day: 65 - 75 degrees fahrenheit Grow on temperature night: 62 - 65 degrees fahrenheit Weeks indoor: 10 - 15 weeks Plant spread: 6 - 8 inches Plant height: 6-8" Plant type: annual The authors further state that the local community have identified it as the worst invasive species in agroecosystems. However, it is not known what the minimum light intensity level was for germination of A. houstonianum. Approximately 7,000 small seeds weight 15 gr and retain germination capacity for 3-4 years. Ageratum seeds need light in order to germinate so do not cover the seeds. Susan Patterson is a health and gardening advocate. You need to follow the rules to reach abundant flowering. Ageratum (Ageratum houstonianum) flowers are native to South and Central America and quite popular in the home garden. More than 90% of the seeds germinated, thus indicating excellent seed viability. It was reported that seed germination was greater in some Asteraceae species with smaller than larger seeds under light than in dark conditions [21]. No, Is the Subject Area "Seedlings" applicable to this article? Seeds for estimating dormancy requirement were collected on July 4, 2018 and July 22, 2018, for the first and second round of the experiment, respectively from Kirtipur (27°67'29"N, 85°28'32"E, 1,330 masl), Kathmandu, Nepal using similar protocols. Germination takes 10-15 days. A. houstonianum belongs to the Asteraceae family and it is native to Central America and Mexico. This suggested that neutral-to-alkaline soils were more suited for its germination than acidic soils. Roles The first and second round of the experiments were conducted in April/May 2018 and June/July 2018, respectively. Lobelia, impatiens, and ageratum are seeds that need light for germination; simply press them on to the surface of the germinating medium, rather than burying them.Certain seeds, usually of perennials, trees, and shrubs from temperature climates, need to be exposed to … No seedlings emerged from the seeds that were buried more than 2mm deep. Ideal temp. The pH level of the solution media had a significant effect on the germination of A. houstonianum seeds. No matter what container you choose to use, be sure that it is clean and has adequate drainage. Click through the PLOS taxonomy to find articles in your field. Seeds were evaluated for germination every day using the protocols described earlier. broad scope, and wide readership – a perfect fit for your research every time. Ten ml of the different water potential solutions were added to each Petri dish with a pipette. Examples include Conyza canadensis [12] and Asclepias syriaca L. [20]. Make an indentation in the soil that is approximately 1/8-inch deep. Almost 50% of the seeds that were planted on the day they were collected germinated. Conceptualization, Unlike many other blue flowers, ageratum tolerates some shade, making them a favorite choice for an elegant shady border or a container garden. Ageratum has an interesting method of protecting itself against insect attack. Germination was completely inhibited in the lowest pH treatment (pH 4). Yes ; Plant directly into the pot by pressing the seeds lightly into the surface of the pot. Furthermore, this study showed that seeds of this species had no dormancy period and most of the seeds could germinate immediately after falling from the mother plant, provided the other environmental factors as discussed above were suitable. Ideal temp. In our study, there was no germination of A. houstonianum seeds in water potential levels more negative than -1.0 thus suggesting that this species was moderately tolerant to moisture stress and may not germinate in drier environments. In cold climate zones ageratum is grown as an annual plant as it is a very heat-loving plant. Ten ml distilled water were added to each Petri dish with a pipette. Seeds of A. houstonianum for the germination and emergence studies were collected on November 24, 2017 and January 16, 2018 for the first and second round of the study, respectively from the Ranibari Community Forest (27°43'52.81"N, 85°19'8.81"E, 1,303 masl) located in the northwestern part of Kathmandu, Nepal. Like Ageratum houstonianum, all varieties from the Bingenheimer Saatgut AG are open-pollinated and multiplicated according Demeter or the EU-organic standards. The first and second round of the experiments were conducted in April/May 2018 and June/July 2018, respectively. 70°F is ideal for germination. Writing – original draft, Affiliation Makes an excellent display in pots, window boxes, as a border or for indoor decoration. In comparison, there is more information available on the germination of another congener Ageratum species, A. conyzoides. As discussed earlier, A. houstonianum is photoblastic and needs light for germination. 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