A new cost-effective method for quantification of seed bank of Orobanche in soil

A simple technique to germinate Orobanche in the presence of live host seedlings under controlled conditions was developed. Surface sterilized seeds were preconditioned separately in Petriplates and were transferred on a bed made of sterilized sand, cotton and filter paper kept on a 1000 ml beaker. Host plant (mustard and tomato) seeds were germinated in Petriplates and transferred to the beaker containing the preconditioned Orobanche seeds. The beakers were then incubated at room temperature for 10 days and observed under stereo binocular microscope. This technique may be useful in many ways including quantification of the weed seed bank in the infested fields, screening of contaminated seed lots from infested areas for the purpose of quarantine and seed certification. Use of live host seedlings instead of synthetic stimulants, both reduced the cost and made it possible to use this technique.