Predicting Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) soil seedbank longevity in field using accelerated aging test in laboratory.

Successful management of weed infestations necessitates a comprehensive understanding of their biology, including longevity of the soil seedbank. This study investigated the potential of the accelerated aging (AA) test conducted in laboratory to predict the longevity of Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus palmeri) seeds in soil seedbank in comparison to traditional field burial methods. The test involved subjecting the seeds to two different temperatures, 41 °C and 45 °C, at 100% relative humidity up to 120 h with a 12-hour testing interval under each temperature. Literature was searched systematically to extract soil seedbank longevity data for Palmer amaranth in the United States. The AA results demonstrated a decline in seed germination with an increase in temperature and duration of controlled ageing. Seeds subjected to AA at 41 °C and 45 °C showcased substantial declines in viability-down to 14% and 8% respectively after 96 h of exposure. Additionally, seed membranes exhibited accelerated deterioration as indicated by increased electrolyte leakage, demonstrating that elevated temperature adversely affects seed structure and integrity, thereby compromising seed vigor. Polynomial regression models effectively described the decline in seed viability under both laboratory and field conditions. High correlation coefficients (r ≥ 0.97) were observed between seed viability reduction rates in AA tests and field burial studies. A predictive model, integrating laboratory AA data at 45 °C with field observations, exhibited strong agreement between predicted and actual field seed viability. This study provides evidence that the AA test can serve as a reliable and time-efficient tool for predicting Palmer amaranth seed longevity in natural soil seedbanks, offering valuable insights for developing targeted and sustainable weed management strategies.