Journal of Ecology and Environment

The Ecological Society of Korea (한국생태학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Effect of seeding density on the weediness potential of transgenic plants: a case study on sunflowers

  • Kyong-Hee Nam (LMO Team, National Institute of Ecology) ;
  • Sung Min Han (LMO Team, National Institute of Ecology) ;
  • Seong-Jun Chun (LMO Team, National Institute of Ecology) ;
  • Jun-Woo Lee (LMO Team, National Institute of Ecology) ;
  • Jihoon Kim (LMO Team, National Institute of Ecology)
  • Received : 2024.06.26
  • Accepted : 2024.07.19
  • Published : 2024.09.30
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Background: Newly introduced transgenic plants can outcompete native species in natural ecosystems, threatening the biodiversity of a country. This study ascertained the weediness potential of plants according to the seed amount under the assumption that transgenic seeds were unintentionally spilled. Using sunflowers as the study system, 0, 50, 100, and 150 seeds were sown in 1 m × 1 m and 2 m × 2 m plots, and seed germination, survival, flowering, and competition between the surviving and wild plants were investigated. Results: There was no significant difference in the germination rate of sunflowers depending on the cultivar, but differences were observed depending on the sowing density and plot size. As the number of seeds sown increased, the flowering and seed maturation of sprouted plants occurred earlier; the plant height and flower length of the surviving plants decreased. In addition, as the number of seeds increased, not only did the early importance of sunflowers increase, but the period of dominance over weeds also improved. Conclusions: These results suggest that the weediness potential of sunflowers varies with the number of seeds at the time of release, which may affect germination and growth, and compete with weeds in transgenic plants.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This research was supported by the National Institute of Ecology (NIE) and funded by the Ministry of Environment (MOE) of the Republic of Korea (NIE-A-2024-04; NIE-A-2024-10; NIE-A-2024-11).

References

  1. Braun-Blanquet J. Pflanzensoziologie: grundzuge der vegetationskunde. 3rd ed. Vienna: Springer; 1964. German.
  2. Chauhan BS, Johnson DE. The role of seed ecology in improving weed management strategies in the tropics. In: Sparks DL, editor. Advances in agronomy. Vol. 105. San Diego (CA): Elsevier; 2010. p. 221-62.
  3. Chauhan BS, Opena J. Implications of plant geometry and weed control options in designing a low-seeding seed-drill for dry-seeded rice systems. Field Crops Res. 2013;144:225-31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2012.12.014.
  4. Domic AI, Capriles JM, Camilo GR. Evaluating the fitness effects of seed size and maternal tree size on Polylepis tomentella (Rosaceae) seed germination and seedling performance. J Trop Ecol. 2020;36(3):115-22. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0266467420000061.
  5. Fernandez-Quinantilla C, Andujar JLG, Appleby AP. Characterization of the germination and emergence response to temperature and soil moisture of Avena fatua and A. sterilis. Weed Res. 1990;30(4):289-95. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-3180.1990.tb01715.x.
  6. Grundy AC, Mead A, Burston S. Modelling the emergence response of weed seeds to burial depth: interactions with seed density, weight and shape. J Appl Ecol. 2003;40(4):757-70. https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2664.2003.00836.x.
  7. Han SM, Chun SJ, Nam KH. Comparison of overwintering potential of seeds in laboratory and field conditions for the risk assessment of transgenic plants: a sunflower case study. J Ecol Environ. 2023;47:02. https://doi.org/10.5141/jee.23.014.
  8. Han SM, Nam KH. Assessing the potential invasiveness of transgenic plants in South Korea: a three-year case study on sunflowers. J Ecol Environ. 2022;46:19. https://doi.org/10.5141/jee.22.039.
  9. Inouye RS. Density-dependent germination response by seeds of desert annuals. Oecologia. 1980;46(2):235-8. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00540131.
  10. Javaid MM, Mahmood A, Alshaya DS, AlKahtani MDF, Waheed H, Wasaya A, et al. Influence of environmental factors on seed germination and seedling characteristics of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). Sci Rep. 2022;12(1):9522. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-13416-6.
  11. Jha P, Kumar V, Godara RK, Chauhan BS. Weed management using crop competition in the United States: a review. Crop Prot. 2017;95:31-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2016.06.021.
  12. Kim CG, Kim DY, Moon YS, Kim HJ, Kim DI, Chun YJ, et al. Persistence of genetically modified potatoes in the field. J Plant Biol. 2010;53(6):395-9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12374-010-9128-5.
  13. Kim DY, Eom MS, Kim HJ, Pack IS, Park JH, Park KW, et al. Assessing invasiveness of genetically modified soybean expressing human epidermal growth factor gene. Weed Turfgrass Sci. 2020;9(2):119-28. https://doi.org/10.5660/WTS.2020.9.2.119.
  14. Lamb KE, Johnson BL. Seed size and seeding depth influence on canola emergence and performance in the Northern Great Plains. Agron J. 2004;96(2):454-61. https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj2004.4540.
  15. Lee HS, Yi G, Park JS, Seo SC, Sohn JK, Kim KM. Analysis of the weediness potential in vitamin A enforced rice. Korean J Weed Sci. 2011;31(2):160-6. https://doi.org/10.5660/KJWS.2011.31.2.160.
  16. Limon A, Peco B. Germination and emergence of annual species and burial depth: implications for restoration ecology. Acta Oecol. 2016;71:8-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.actao.2016.01.001.
  17. Nam KH, Han SM. Seed germination of sunflower as a case study for the risk assessment and management of transgenic plants used for environmental remediation in South Korea. Sustainability. 2020;12(23):10110. https://doi.org/10.3390/su122310110.
  18. Nam KH, Kim DY, Moon YS, Pack IS, Jeong SC, Kim HB, et al. Performance of hybrids between abiotic stress-tolerant transgenic rice and its weedy relatives under water-stressed conditions. Sci Rep. 2020;10(1):9319. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-66206-3.
  19. National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBR). National species list of Korea. Incheon: NIBR; 2020.
  20. Penfield S, Josse EM, Kannangara R, Gilday AD, Halliday KJ, Graham IA. Cold and light control seed germination through the bHLH transcription factor SPATULA. Curr Biol. 2005;15(22):1998-2006. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2005.11.010.
  21. Pilson D, Prendeville HR. Ecological effects of transgenic crops and the escape of transgenes into wild populations. Ann Rev Ecol Evol Syst. 2004;35:149-74. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ecolsys.34.011802.132406.
  22. Swanton CJ, Nkoa R, Blackshaw RE. Experimental methods for crop-weed competition studies. Weed Sci. 2015;63(SP1):2-11. https://doi.org/10.1614/WS-D-13-00062.1.
  23. Tielborger K, Prasse R. Do seeds sense each other? Testing for density-dependent germination in desert perennial plants. Oikos. 2009;118(5):792-800. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0706.2008.17175.x.
  24. Warwick SI, Beckie HJ, Hall LM. Gene flow, invasiveness, and ecological impact of genetically modified crops. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2009;1168:72-99. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04576.x.
  25. Wolfenbarger LL, Phifer PR. The ecological risks and benefits of genetically engineered plants. Science. 2000;290(5499):2088-93. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.290.5499.2088.
  26. Yin L, Wang C, Chen Y, Yu C, Cheng Y, Li W. Cold stratification, light and high seed density enhance the germination of Ottelia alismoides. Aquat Bot. 2009;90(1):85-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquabot.2008.05.002.