Breaking seed dormancy of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.): A review

Published Date

September 2015, Vol.80:94–101, doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2015.04.036

Review

Title 

Breaking seed dormancy of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.): A review

• Author 

• Emi Kimura ^a,,
• Steven C. Fransen ^b,
• Harold P. Collins ^c,
• Stephen O. Guy ^d,
• William J. Johnston ^d,

• aDepartment of Soil and Crop Sciences, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Vernon, TX 76384, USA
• bDepartment of Crop and Soil Sciences, Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center, Prosser, WA 99350, USA
• cAgricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Grassland, Soil and Water Research Laboratory, Temple, TX 76502, USA
• dDepartment of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, USA

Received 5 September 2014. Revised 24 April 2015. Accepted 28 April 2015. Available online 19 May 2015.

Highlights

• •
  We reviewed switchgrass seed dormancy for successful stand establishment.
• •
  There are chemical, mechanical, thermal, and hormonal seed treatments.
• •
  Seed treatments are cultivar- and seed lot-specific.
• •
  Agricultural practices have influence on seed germination in the field.
• •
  We recommend germination test with soil media due to high interaction among germination, seedling emergence, and soil conditions.

Abstract

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a perennial warm-season grass identified as a model species for bioenergy feedstock production. Established switchgrass stands are very resilient to the environmental fluctuations; however, seed dormancy and weak seedling vigor make establishment difficult. Breaking seed dormancy of switchgrass is a first step to reduce risk of establishment failure and the costs associated with reseeding. Many studies have reported a myriad of methods to break seed dormancy of switchgrass, including chemical, mechanical, thermal, and hormonal seed treatments. Length of seed storage, storage conditions (e.g., temperature and humidity), and prior soil conditions (e.g., soil salinity and fertilizer rates) affect switchgrass seed dormancy. Strong interactions exist among germination, seedling emergence, and soil conditions; therefore, treated seeds tested in soil media will generate more accurate results following dormancy breaking techniques. This paper reviews the current methods used to break switchgrass seed dormancy.

Keywords

• Switchgrass
• Panicum virgatum L.
• Seed dormancy
• Germination
• Stand establishment

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• ∗ 
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