INFLUENCE OF SOIL-TEMPERATURE, SOIL-MOISTURE, AND SEED BURIAL DEPTH ON THE EMERGENCE OF ROUND-LEAVED MALLOW (MALVA-PUSILLA)

A study was conducted under controlled environmental conditions to determine the effect of soil temperature, soil moisture, and depth of seed burial on the emergence of round-leaved mallow. Emergence occurred from 5 to 30 C but was optimal at 15 to 20 C. Soil moisture had a greater effect than soil temperature on percentage emergence. Emergence progressively declined below a soil water content of -0.28 MPa, with less than 20% emergence attained at -1.03 to -1.53 MPa. In contrast, rate of emergence of round-leaved mallow was affected more by soil temperature than by moisture. A decrease in temperature from 30 to 5 C increased the time to reach 50% emergence by 10 to 12 days over the moisture regime of this study. Emergence was greatest at depths of 0.5 to 2 cm. No emergence occurred at 8 cm or below. The potential of using the findings of this study to develop cultural control strategies for round-leaved mallow is discussed.