Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-13T00:55:34.878Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Effects of Day and Night Temperature on Goatsrue (Galega officinalis) and Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) Growth

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2017

David T. Patterson*
Affiliation:
Plant Physiol., U.S. Dep. Agric, Agric. Res. Serv., Dep. Bot., Duke Univ., Durham, NC 27706

Abstract

Goatsrue, a perennial legume, is an exotic noxious weed currently found in the United States only in Cache County, Utah. It infests irrigated pastures, alfalfa fields, and noncropland areas. In order to compare their responses to temperature, goatsrue and alfalfa were grown in artificially illuminated controlled-environment chambers in 16 day/night temperature regimes ranging from 15/4 to 36/25 C. Growth analysis was used to evaluate effects of temperature on dry matter accumulation, leaf area production, and biomass allocation. Both species grew best at day/night temperatures of 22/25, 29/ 18, and 29/25 C. Leaf appearance rates were linearly related to mean daily temperature. Goatsrue produced fewer but larger leaves and a greater total leaf area than alfalfa. Biomass partitioning to leaves was greater in goatsrue, whereas partitioning to stems was greater in alfalfa. Response of vegetative dry matter production to temperature closely paralleled response of leaf area duration in both species. Alfalfa generally had a higher net assimilation rate, but the greater leaf area duration of goatsrue resulted in greater dry matter accumulation in this species after 50 d of growth. Overall responses to temperature were similar in the two species. Thus it seems likely that goatsrue could become a much more widely distributed weed in alfalfa.

Type
Weed Biology and Ecology
Copyright
Copyright © 1993 by the Weed Science Society of America 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Literature Cited

1. Anonymous. 1973. Climatography of the United States. No. 84. Daily normals of temperature and heating and cooling degree days 1941–1970. U.S. Dep. Comm. Nat. Oceanic and Atmos. Admin., Environ. Data Serv., Nat. Climatic Ctr., Asheville, NC. 650 pp.Google Scholar
2. Downs, R. J. and Hellmers, H. 1975. Page 112 in Environment and the Experimental Control of Plant Growth. Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
3. Evans, J. O. 1984. Goatsrue eradication. A realistic goal. Utah Sci. 1984 (Spring):811.Google Scholar
4. Evans, J. O. and Ashcroft, M. L. 1982. Goatsrue. Utah Agric. Exp. Sta. Res. Rep. 79. Sept. 1982.Google Scholar
5. Fick, G. W., Holt, D. A., and Lugg, D. G. 1988. Environmental physiology and crop growth. Pages 163194 in Hanson, A. A., Barnes, D. K., and Hill, R. R. Jr., eds. Alfalfa and Alfalfa Improvement. Am. Soc. Agron. Madison, WI.Google Scholar
6. Kvet, J., Ondok, J. P., Necas, J., and Jarvis, P. G. 1971. Methods of growth analysis. Pages 343391 in Sestak, Z., Catsky, J., and Jarvis, P. G., eds. Plant Photosynthetic Production. Manual of Methods. Dr. W. Junk N. V. Publ., The Hague.Google Scholar
7. Patterson, D. T., Meyer, C. R., Flint, E. P., and Quimby, P. C. Jr. 1979. Temperature responses and potential distribution of itchgrass (Rottboellia exaltata) in the United States. Weed Sci. 27:7782.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8. Patterson, D. T. and Mortensen, D. A. 1985. Effects of temperature and photoperiod on common crupina (Crupina vulgaris). Weed Sci. 33:333339.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9. Patterson, D. T. 1992. Effects of temperature and photoperiod on growth and reproductive development of goatsrue. J. Range Manage. 45:449453.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10. Pearson, C. J. and Hunt, L. A. 1972. Effects of temperature on primary growth of alfalfa. Can. J. Plant Sci. 52:10071015.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11. Pearson, C. J. and Hunt, L. A. 1972. Effects of temperature on primary growth and regrowths of alfalfa. Can. J. Plant Sci. 52:10171027.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
12. Sato, K. 1971. Growth and development of alfalfa plant under controlled environment. I. The effects of daylength and temperature on the growth and chemical composition. Proc. Crop Sci. Soc. Jap. 40:120126.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13. Tingey, D. C. 1971. Goatsrue, a potential forage crop, turned out to be a weed. Utah Sci. 1971 (March):2528.Google Scholar
14. Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burgess, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Walters, S. M., and Webb, D. A. 1976. Flora Europaea. Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge.Google Scholar
15. Ueno, M. and Smith, D. 1970. Influence of temperature on seedling growth and carbohydrate composition of three alfalfa cultivars. Agron. J. 62:764767.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
16. Went, F. W. 1957. Page 238 in The experimental control of plant growth. Chron. Bot. 17.Google Scholar
17. Williams, M. C. 1980. Purposefully introduced plants that have become noxious or poisonous weeds. Weed Sci. 28:300305.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
18. Wolf, D. D. and Blaser, R. E. 1971. Leaf development of alfalfa at several temperatures. Crop Sci. 11:479482.CrossRefGoogle Scholar