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The aim of the research was to determinate the degree of variation in morphological (seed weight) and functional polymorphism (final germination, dormancy, seed mortality and germination dynamic) within two seed populations of Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. Seeds were collected separately from 20 plants/population in Jastebarsko (45°40'18˝N; 15°39'03˝E), population-J and Popovača (45°34´1˝N; 16°40´43˝E), population-P in 2014. Seed weight of J and P populations had weak variability (CV-J = 18.2%, CV-P= 29.8%) with an average of 4.05 g (J) and 4.54 g (P). Estimated variability was strong for amount of death seeds in the J (CV = 67.6%), but weak for geminated (CV = 4.9%) and moderate for dormant seeds (CV = 51.0%). Variability within P population was moderate for both germinated and dead seeds (CV = 34.5%; 34.1%), while variability within amount of dormant seeds was weak (CV = 14.2%). Variability in medium germination (T50) was relatively low for both experimental populations (CV – J = 12.0%; CV – P = 22.4%). Despite determined intrapopulation variation, degrees of variability between researched parameters (final germination, dormancy and medium germination – T50) were weak or moderate and therefore acceptable for further experiment base on seed testing., Cilj istraživanja bio je utvrditi stupanj morfološke (masa sjemena) i funkcionalne (klijavost, dormantnost, smrtnost sjemena i dinamika klijanja) varijabilnosti unutar dvije populacije sjemena korovne vrste Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. (ambrozija) sakupljene u sjeverozapadnom dijelu Hrvatske: Jastrebarsko (45 ° 40'18˝N; 15 ° 39'03˝E), populacija-J i Popovača (45 ° 34´1˝N; 16 ° 40´43˝E), populacija-P. Prikupljeno je sjeme s 20 biljaka/populaciji u listopadu 2014. Rezultati istraživanja ukazuju na slabu varijabilnost (CV-J = 18,2%, CV-P = 29,8%) mase 1 000 sjemenki s prosječnom masom od 4,05 g (J) i 4,54 g (P). Intrapopulacijska varijabilnost bila je relativno visoka za udio mrtvog sjemena u populaciji-J (CV = 67,6%), ali vrlo slaba za udio klijavog (CV = 4,9%) te umjerena za udio dormantnog sjemena (CV = 51,0%). Varijabilnost unutar populacije-P bila je umjerena za udio klijavog i mrtvog sjemena (CV = 34,5%; 34,1%), a relativno slaba za udio dormantnog sjemena (CV = 14,2%). Dinamika klijanja (T10, T50 i T90) obje populacije bila je slabo ili umjereno varijabilna. Sredina klijanja (T50) bila je relativno slabo varijabilna za obje istraživane populacije (CV - J = 12,0%; CV - P = 22,4%).

The aim of the research was to determinate the degree of variation in morphological (seed weight) and functional polymorphism (final germination, dormancy, seed mortality and germination dynamic) within two seed populations of Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. Seeds were collected separately from 20 plants/population in Jastebarsko (45°40'18˝N; 15°39'03˝E), population-J and Popovača (45°34´1˝N; 16°40´43˝E), population-P in 2014. Seed weight of J and P populations had weak variability (CV-J = 18.2%, CV-P= 29.8%) with an average of 4.05 g (J) and 4.54 g (P). Estimated variability was strong for amount of death seeds in the J (CV = 67.6%), but weak for geminated (CV = 4.9%) and moderate for dormant seeds (CV = 51.0%). Variability within P population was moderate for both germinated and dead seeds (CV = 34.5%; 34.1%), while variability within amount of dormant seeds was weak (CV = 14.2%). Variability in medium germination (T50) was relatively low for both experimental populations (CV – J = 12.0%; CV – P = 22.4%). Despite determined intrapopulation variation, degrees of variability between researched parameters (final germination, dormancy and medium germination – T50) were weak or moderate and therefore acceptable for further experiment base on seed testing., Cilj istraživanja bio je utvrditi stupanj morfološke (masa sjemena) i funkcionalne (klijavost, dormantnost, smrtnost sjemena i dinamika klijanja) varijabilnosti unutar dvije populacije sjemena korovne vrste Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. (ambrozija) sakupljene u sjeverozapadnom dijelu Hrvatske: Jastrebarsko (45 ° 40'18˝N; 15 ° 39'03˝E), populacija-J i Popovača (45 ° 34´1˝N; 16 ° 40´43˝E), populacija-P. Prikupljeno je sjeme s 20 biljaka/populaciji u listopadu 2014. Rezultati istraživanja ukazuju na slabu varijabilnost (CV-J = 18,2%, CV-P = 29,8%) mase 1 000 sjemenki s prosječnom masom od 4,05 g (J) i 4,54 g (P). Intrapopulacijska varijabilnost bila je relativno visoka za udio mrtvog sjemena u populaciji-J (CV = 67,6%), ali vrlo slaba za udio klijavog (CV = 4,9%) te umjerena za udio dormantnog sjemena (CV = 51,0%). Varijabilnost unutar populacije-P bila je umjerena za udio klijavog i mrtvog sjemena (CV = 34,5%; 34,1%), a relativno slaba za udio dormantnog sjemena (CV = 14,2%). Dinamika klijanja (T10, T50 i T90) obje populacije bila je slabo ili umjereno varijabilna. Sredina klijanja (T50) bila je relativno slabo varijabilna za obje istraživane populacije (CV - J = 12,0%; CV - P = 22,4%).

Background and Purpose: Velvetleaf seed longevity and prolonged emergence complicate assessing appropriate time for its control. Estimating biological parameters (base temperature and base water potential) is a first step towards development of emergence predictive model for this weed species in summer crops. Since, development of new model is time consuming, the aim of the research was to provide the data set of biological thresholds for Croatian ecotype and then to compare it with Italian velvetleaf thresholds to assess the implementation of AlertInf predictive weed emergence model from Italy to Croatia. Materials and methods: Laboratory experiments were conducted with 100 seeds per three replicates at seven constant temperatures (4, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 28°C) to estimate base temperature (Tb) and at seven water stress levels (0.00, -0.05, -0.10, -0.25, -0.38, -0.50, -0.80, -1.00 MPa) to estimate base water potential (Ψb). Results: The highest germination occurred at temperature > 20°C with 3.6 days and at water stress level >- 0.25 MPa with 4.9 days to complete 50% of germination (t50). The slowest t50 occurred at 4°C (41.9 days) and < -0.38 MPa (10.1 days). Estimated Croatian velvetleaf biological parameters are: 4.5°C (Tb) and – 0.67 MPa (Ψb) with no significant difference compared to Italian ecotype, according to 95% confidence intervals overlapping. Conclusion: The results indicate that it could be possible to implement AlertInf model from Italy to Croatia for this weed species without additional adjustment. Nevertheless, next step of this implementation should include validation of estimated results in the field conditions.    Key words: invasive weed species, velvetleaf, germination modelling, integrated weed management, base temperature, base water potential