Effects of Chemicals Often Regarded as Germination Stimulants on Seed Conditioning and Germination of Witchweed (Striga asiatica)

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Abstract
Gibberellin A3 (GA3), kinetin and zeatin promoted germination of conditioned witchweed (Striga asiatica [L.] Kuntze) seeds similar to dl-strigol and a natural stimulant from corn root exudates. GA3 promoted germination only with scarified seeds. However, these regulators, as well as dl-strigol and natural stimulants, inhibited the conditioning of seeds and their subsequent germination. On the other hand, abscisic acid induced 74% germination of conditioned seeds but had no effect on seed conditioning. Other chemicals such as sucrose, NaNO3, vitamin B1, L-methionine, nicotinamide, indoleacetic acid and colchicine had no apparent effect on seed conditioning, while sucrose, L-methionine and inositol induced about 30 % germination of conditioned seeds. Seeds generally required either a longer conditioning time or a higher terminal dl-strigol concentration to eliminate any inhibition of seed conditioning induced by a compound.