Laboratory and greenhouse studies were conducted to determine the effect of
several environmental factors on seed germination and seedling emergence o
f the invasive weed Pueraria lobata (kudzu). Germination occurred over a ra
nge of alternating temperatures from 15/6 to 35/25 C. Seed germinated equal
ly well in alternating light/darkness and continuous darkness. At all tempe
rature regimes, percentage germination was much greater for hand-scarified
seed (95 to 100%) than for nonscarified seed (7 to 17%), indicating that P.
lobata seed possesses physical dormancy. Germination exceeded 51% in solut
ions with pH 5 to 9. Maximum germination (99%) was observed in distilled wa
ter at pH 5.4. Germination was greatly reduced in solutions with osmotic po
tentials below -0.4 MPa (28% at -0.6 MPa, and 13% at -0.9 MPa); no germinat
ion was observed at -1.3 MPa. Percentage emergence was greater than 45% at
burial depths in soil of 0.5 to 10 cm, with maximal emergence (72 to 85%) a
t depths of 0.5 to 4 cm. Seed sown on the soil surface had low seedling eme
rgence (< 13%). No seedlings emerged when seed was exposed to flooding for
7 d or more. Pueraria lobata seed is capable of germinating in a variety of
climatic and edaphic conditions, but flooding may severely limit establish
ment of stands by seed.
Nomenclature: Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi PUELO, kudzu.