Which soils are comfortable for oilseed rape seeds (Brassica napus) to survive?

Abstract

The study should reveal the effects of soil texture and of seed characteristics of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) on seed survival in the soil by a burial experiment. Seeds of 58 conventional and new trait accessions (genetically modified and/or with altered seed ingredients) were buried for six months in sandy loam ( Significantly more seeds were found in C and SICL compared to SL. Seed survival also significantly depended on the genotype, with high and low seed survival in both conventional and new trait accessions. Seed survival rates are probably linked with moisture and oxygen provided by different soils. As soils with good water storage conditions seem to have a higher probability for oilseed rape seeds from harvest losses to survive, other measures such as growing low dormancy varieties and proper soil tillage are especially relevant to avoid volunteers on these soils.

Long-Term Monitoring of Field Trial Sites with Genetically Modified Oilseed Rape (Brassica napus L.) in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Fifteen Years Persistence to Date but No Spatial Dispersion

“…It becomes apparent that in the most fertile soil the persistence of the rape seeds is most pronounced, namely at the last three of the sites mentioned. This is consistent with studies by Gruber et al showing that soil with good water retention capability favors the survival of escaped rape seeds [ 38 ].…”

Impact of cultivar on survival of volunteer oilseed rape populations in fields is more important than field management

“…A clear source of variation was probably the diverse management histories of the fields used for this study that were not the subject of the current evaluation. Soil properties, for instance, seem to have a considerable effect on seed survival and thus the SSB (Debljak et al ., ; Gruber et al ., ). On all farmers’ fields selected in this study, herbicides were used, whereas in most trials no herbicides are applied.…”

“…Harvest loss (‘seed rain’), the source for any volunteers, varies usually between approximately 1000–2000 seeds m −2 (Canada; Haile et al ., ), or 4000–7000 seeds m −2 (Germany; Weber et al ., ), partly depending on harvesting method and genotype. Soil temperature, soil matrix potential, availability of oxygen and also the nutrient status of the soil determine the induction of dormancy in seeds dropped onto the soil (Pekrun et al ., ; Momoh et al ., ; Gulden et al ., ; Gruber et al ., ). Time and type of soil tillage can affect these soil environmental conditions, but weather conditions cannot be controlled.…”

Burial Environment Drives Seed Mortality of Kochia (Bassia scoparia), Wild Oat (Avena fatua), and Volunteer Canola (Brassica napus) Irrespective of Crop Species

“…Although soil texture in a broad context has been shown to impact weed seed survival in the soil seedbank [ 13 , 40 , 41 , 42 ], less consensus has been reached regarding the impact of individual soil properties. Soil bulk density and temperature were associated strongly with volunteer canola seed survival over winter, whereas summer seedbank persistence was driven by a combination of soil texture, bulk density, OM, cation exchange capacity, and soluble salt concentration [ 13 ].…”