Characteristics of fruitlets and harmfulness of the weed Heliotropium europaeum

Heliotropium europaeum is a harmful plant of the Boraginaceae family, posing a serious threat to agricultural land. The weed actively infests crops of grain crops, and is also frequently found in orchards, vineyards, and vegetable gardens. The plant is widely distributed in the southern regions of the European part, Crimea, the Caucasus, Western Siberia, and Central Asia.

Morphometric characteristics and seed identification

To prevent the weed from entering the seed stock, an agronomist must accurately identify its nutlets. They have an obovate shape with a swollen, expanded apex and an elongated base. The surface of the nutlets is matte, coarsely wrinkled and tubercular, and the oval fruit scar is formed as a small outgrowth. The color varies from greenish-brown to dark brown, with the fruit projection being a lighter shade.

During phytosanitary analysis and laboratory cleaning of seed samples, Heliotropium europaeum nutlets are identified by established dimensions:

• Nutlet length — 1.752 mm
• Nutlet width — 11.5 mm
• Nutlet thickness — 11.5 mm