Germination and control of tropanalkaloid-containing weeds

Abstract

Tropanalkaloid-containing weeds can lead to contamination of the yield in various crops and should not be tolerated. In this context, studies on germination biology and the control of selected tropanalkaloid-containing weed species were carried out in spring 2017. The seed used was from its own propagation from the year 2016. The germination of the species Datura stramonium, Datura innoxia, Datura ferox, Hyoscyamus niger and Hyoscyamus albus was tested at 15°C/10°C, 20°C/10°C and 25/10°C. For this purpose the germinated seeds were counted and sorted out every 3-4 days. All species preferred the highest temperature stage for germination. Hyoscyamus niger and Datura ferox presumably have a pronounced dormancy, since in these species only a germination of few plants could be observed. Beside the germination, the control of the species Datura stramonium and Hyoscyamus albus was tested in a biotest with various herbicides approved in maize. Both weed species were treated in the cotyledon, 2-leaf and 4-6 leaf stage with the highest permitted application rate of the tested herbicides. It was found that the plants of the two species with the herbicides from the active groups of the photosynthesis inhibitors, synthetic auxins, cell division inhibitors and ALS inhibitors were at least sufficiently controlled. Larger Datura and Hyoscyamus plants, on the other hand, could no be completely controlled.