Aptitudes germinatives comparées de graines de Rumex acetosella issues de populations correspondant à des stades distincts d'une succession postculturale

Germination of Rumex acetosella L. was studied under a variety of experimental conditions to determine whether populations from old fields of different ages (fallow for 6 months to 15 years) differed in seed weight and germination rate and in plant biomass and flowering rate of the resulting plants. Fresh seeds collected from these natural populations showed differences in germination that varied with the date of harvest and the number of years since the field was last cultivated: seeds of the youngest population harvested in July germinated the best and were lighter than those of the other populations. Different fertilizer levels applied during the growth of the mother plants from seeds collected in the original old fields affected the mean weight and the germination rate of the resulting seeds, regardless of the density of cultivation of the mother plant. However, the effect of different fertilizer levels on mean seed weight varied with the origin of each population. Heavy seeds (mean weight > 0.6 mg) of mother plants from the populations of fields abandoned over 2 years ago germinated better than light seeds (mean weight < 0.6 mg). There was no significant difference between heavy and light seeds in terms of percent germination for seeds from mother plants that came from the "youngest" field. These differences in germination rate observed in field-collected seeds were also found in light seeds of the offspring generation: light seeds of the mother plant from the population belonging to the more recently abandoned old field germinated the best. Plants grown from heavy seeds that came from the other populations of older fields had more biomass than those resulting from light seeds. This difference has not been observed between individuals resulting from light and heavy seeds of the youngest population. On the other hand, these individuals had a higher flowering rate than those resulting from the older populations. These results are interpreted in relation to the successional status of the populations: high flowering and early germination rates are suitable characteristics for establishment of plants on bare ground or after a disturbance, whereas heavy seeds with more reserves ensure germination and enough biomass of the resulting plants in density-dependent conditions.