Some Germination and Emergence Characteristics of Cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium L.) Seeds

Cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium L.) is an annual broadleaf weed that causes significant yield losses in many crops and reproduces by seed. This study was conducted in 2020-2022 to contribute to alternative control by determining some biological characteristics of cocklebur seeds. For this purpose, in seed studies, the lower (large) and upper (small) seeds in the cocklebur fruit were placed in the incubator at 27±1 °C and the germination rates (Gmax) and times (T50, T90) were determined. Minimum, optimum and maximum germination temperatures of cocklebur seeds collected in 23 provinces Türkiye were determined. For this purpose, the studies were carried out at temperatures of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45°C. In the studies to determine the optimum emergence depth of cocklebur; 25 cocklebur fruits were planted in pots at soil depths of 2, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 cm. As a result of the studies, it was found that the maximum germination rate of cocklebur was 93.1% for large seeds, while this rate was 21.2% for small seeds. The time for germination of 50% of large and small seeds (T50) was 1.2 days and the germination rate was 1.2 days. It was found that the time required for 90% germination (T90) was 2.5 days. The highest germination rate of cocklebur in the soil is at a depth of 2-10 cm, and in the studies on seed germination temperatures, although they vary from province to province, the minimum temperature is 5 °C and the optimum temperature is 15 °C. It has been found that the temperature is 35 °C and the maximum temperature is 40 °C. These results show that this weed has a large temperature requirement and will spread more in agricultural areas cultivated in different ecologies.