Initial Seedling Growth of Pepperweed) Lepidium Perfoliatum L. (as Affected by Salinity and Burial Depth

Pepperweed (Lepidium perfoliatum L.) is a problematic weed in arable lands of East Azerbaijan, Iran. Laboratory experiments were undertaken to assay seedling growth traits (length and dry weight) in response to light and burial depth. Saline conditions simulated by different NaCl concentrations, impaired largely seedlings growth. The reductions were more evident till 12 dS m-1 salinity level and thereafter reduced more slowly at 18, 24 and 30 dS m-1 NaCl concentrations. It is presumable that chances for growth and appreciable establishment of L. perfoliatum to establish in high saline soils would be somewhat low. With increasing burial depth from 0.5 to 4 cm, length and dry matter of the emerged seedlings were reduced constantly. No seedlings were emerged from the seeds buried at 6 cm depth. This suggests that L. perfoliatum would not become trouble to growers at minimum or reduced-tillage cropping systems.