GERMINATION, GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF COMMON MILKWEED

Abstract

Germination percentage of common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca L.) seeds was low 1 mo after seed collection. Seed dormancy decreased with time at storage temperatures of −12°, 5° or 21 °C. After 11 months of storage, seeds stored at 21 °C had 15–18% higher germination compared to the seeds stored at −12° and 5 °C. The best seedling emergence was obtained at a temperature of 27 °C when seeds were planted at a depth of 0.5 or 1 cm. Seedling emergence was better in muck or sandy soil than in clay soil. Seedlings developed slowly up to 30 days after emergence at 15 °C under an 8-, 12- or 16-h photoperiod. High temperatures (27 °C) stimulated seedling growth under each photoperiod. Taller seedlings with more leaves, longer primary roots, more lateral roots and adventitious root buds grew at 27 °C as compared to 15° or 21 °C. Increasing the photoperiod from 8 to 16 h increased plant height and number of leaves but not primary root length.