Differences in seed germination response of two populations of Phelipanche ramosa (L.) Pomel to a set of GR24 concentrations and durations of stimulation

Abstract Phelipanche ramosa is a major weed holoparasite characterized by a broad host range with a suboptimal development on numerous hosts, suggesting inter- or intra-species specificities. Seeds of P. ramosa germinate after exposure to exogenous chemicals exuded by surrounding host roots such as strigolactones, the concentrations of these germination stimulants varying between hosts. In France, P. ramosa is characterized by genetically differentiated populations presenting varying germination rates and a host specificity. The objective of our study was to investigate the sensitivity of seeds of two P. ramosa populations harvested on tobacco and oilseed rape, to a set of GR24 concentrations, a synthetic strigol analogue. The assessment of the germination rate was based on in vitro experiments. Seeds of P. ramosa were placed in Petri dishes with various concentrations of GR24. The cumulative number of germinated seeds of P. ramosa was counted several times after application of the treatment. Cumulative germination curves were analysed using a three-parameter log-logistic model and a time-to-event approach. The results show that the germination rate of P. ramosa seeds depends on the GR24 concentration and the duration of stimulation, but also that the response to these two factors varies greatly according to the origin of the P. ramosa seeds. The difference in germination speed between P. ramosa populations further shows distinct responses at the intraspecific level, thus suggesting that the specialization of P. ramosa probably occurs at least from the first stage of the holoparasite cycle.