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Inhibition of Legume Seedling Growth by Residues and Extracts of Quackgrass (Agropyron repens)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2017

Leslie A. Weston
Affiliation:
Dep. Hort., Pestic. Res. Ctr., Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI 48824
Alan R. Putnam
Affiliation:
Dep. Hort., Pestic. Res. Ctr., Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI 48824

Abstract

Aqueous extracts of quackgrass [Agropyron repens (L.) Beauv. # AGRRE] shoots and rhizomes inhibited seed germination and root growth of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. ‘Vernal’), soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr. ‘Corsoy 79’], navybean (Phaseolus vulgaris L. ‘Seafarer’), and curly cress (Lepidium sativum L.) at concentrations of less than 2.5 mg dried extract/ml. Extracts of quackgrass shoots were generally more inhibitory than extracts of rhizomes. Root and shoot dry weights of snapbeans (Phaseolus vulgaris L. ‘Bush Blue Lake’) grown under sterile conditions were reduced by aqueous extracts of shoots. Root systems were stunted and necrotic and lacked root hairs. The growth of Rhizobium species was not influenced by the presence of 40 or 80 mg/ml concentrations of extracts of shoots or rhizomes. Quackgrass may inhibit indirectly the legume-Rhizobium symbiosis by inhibiting root hair formation rather than directly inhibiting Rhizobium growth. The presence of soil microorganisms was not necessary for the development of quackgrass toxicity in soil or agar. Soil microorganisms reduced toxicity of quackgrass residues in soil.

Type
Physiology, Chemistry, and Biochemistry
Copyright
Copyright © 1986 by the Weed Science Society of America 

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