GERMINATION RESPONSES OF LEHMANN LOVEGRASS TO LIGHT

Lehmann lovegrass (Eragrostis lehmanniana Nees.) is a perennial, warm-season bunchgrass that is native to South Africa and has been seeded and spread naturally in the southwestern United States. Germination of 4 seed lots of varying age was tested in relation to darkness and irradiance with red (R) and far-red (FR) light. Germination was low in continual darkness, but greatly increased after exposure to R. Irradiation with FR after exposure to R reduced germination, confirming phytochrome involvement. Exposure to R after prolonged imbibition in FR did not increase germination of 1-2-year-old seeds and only slightly increased germination of older seeds. An alternating temperature of 16 hours at 15-degrees-C and 8 hours at 38-degrees-C greatly increased germination of seeds exposed to fluorescent light and slightly increased germination of seeds in darkness compared to a constant temperature of 25-degrees-C. Greater seedling emergence of Lehmann lovegrass when the canopy is opened by burning, mowing, or grazing is likely a function of red light stimulation of biologically active phytochrome and increased seedbed temperature fluctuations.