Description
Chenopodium album is a fast-growing annual plant in the genus Chenopodium. Though cultivated in some regions. Common names include lamb’s quarters, melde, goosefoot, wild spinach and fat-hen, though the latter two are also applied to other species of the genus Chenopodium, for which reason it is often distinguished as white goosefoot. Chenopodium album is extensively cultivated and consumed in Northern India as a food crop known as bathua.
Germination Guide
🌍 Europe, Middle East, North Africa, Northeast Asia, temperate Eurasia
Moderate
Chenopodium album is a fast-growing annual weed in Amaranthaceae family, native to temperate Eurasia. Seeds are photoblastic and require light for germination, with maximum germination at 25°C. The species produces two seed morphs (black and brown) with different dormancy requirements and shows complex germination regulation involving light, temperature, nitrate, and phytohormones.
Germination
Germination time
Expect germination in
7 – 14 days
Temperature
Min 10°C
Ideal 25°C
Max 30°C
🌡️ Temperature alternation recommended
— Temperature fluctuations with 20-30°C day and 10-15°C night improve germination; alternating temperatures increase sensitivity to light and nitrate
Substrate moisture
💧 Medium
Seed Pre-treatment
-
💧
Soaking — 18 hours
Pre-soaking in distilled water for 12-24 hours softens seed coat and encourages germination
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🔨
Mechanical scarification
Mechanical scarification using sandpaper can be used to break seed coat
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❄️
Cold stratification — 21 days at 4°C
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📋
Additional notes
Seeds show seed heteromorphism with two morphs (black and brown) having different dormancy levels; brown seeds germinate readily while black seeds require light and may need gibberellin treatment or ethylene and nitrate for dormancy release
Substrate & Container
Recommended substrate
Well-draining loamy soil rich in nutrients; tolerates pH 4-10
Recommended container
Petri dish with filter paper or seed tray
Growing Tips
Brown seeds germinate readily with light; black seeds show physiological dormancy requiring light, gibberellin, ethylene, and/or nitrate; seeds must be on or very near soil surface for light penetration; burial deeper than 2 cm drastically reduces emergence; gibberellic acid can improve germination of dormant populations; after-ripening 3-5 weeks at 4°C in dark moist conditions enhances germination; seeds are highly sensitive to phytochrome and require red light quality similar to direct sunlight rather than light filtered through green vegetation
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