Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T17:07:01.387Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Herbicides for Sod-Seeding Establishment of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) in Quackgrass (Agropyron repens)-Infested Alfalfa Swards

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2017

Gilles D. Leroux
Affiliation:
Dep. of Agron. Univ. of Wis., Madison, WI 53706
Robert G. Harvey
Affiliation:
Dep. of Agron. Univ. of Wis., Madison, WI 53706

Abstract

The herbicides 2,4-D [(2,4-dichlorophenoxy) acetic acid], dalapon (2,2-dichloropropionic acid), glyphosate [(N-phosphonomethyl)glycine], paraquat (1,1’-dimethyl-4,4’-bypiridinium ion), and pronamide [3,5-dichloro-(N-1,1-dimethyl-2-propynyl)benzamide] were applied at selected rates and dates to quackgrass [Agropyron repens (L.) Beauv. ♯ AGRRE]-infested alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) sod in 1979 and 1980 to suppress vegetation for subsequent establishment of alfalfa without tillage. The influence of herbicides on weed control, alfalfa seedling density and visual stand, and forage yield and quality was assessed for 3 yr. During establishment, all herbicides except 2,4-D effectively controlled quackgrass. Glyphosate applied broadcast increasingly suppressed the existing sod as the rate was increased from 0.6 to 1.6 kg ai/ha. The effectiveness of herbicides as measured by total (old and new) plant density was closely related to the suppression of the sward. While the substitution of new alfalfa plants for old ones was not necessary under dense (40 plants/m2) alfalfa stands, completely controlling the vegetation with glyphosate resulted in sustained productivity throughout the experimental period. After 3 yr, alfalfa percentage and yield were highest when glyphosate was broadcast at 1.6 kg/ha. Improvement in forage quality, as estimated by the concentrations of crude protein and neutral-detergent fiber, was closely related to grass control.

Type
Weed Control and Herbicide Technology
Copyright
Copyright © 1985 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. Association of Analytical Chemists. 1970. Official Methods of Analysis (11th ed.). Association of Analytical Chemists. Washington, DC.Google Scholar
2. Ashton, F. M. and Crafts, A. S. 1981. Mode of Action of Herbicides, 2nd ed. Wiley Interscience Publ., John Wiley and Sons, New York, London, Sydney, Toronto.Google Scholar
3. Baird, D. D., Upchurch, R. P., Homesly, W. B., and Franz, J. E. 1971. Introduction of a new broadspectrum herbicide class with utility for herbaceous perennial weed control. Proc. North Cent. Weed Control Conf. 26:6468.Google Scholar
4. Byers, R. A. 1979. Arthropod and mollusc pests of no-tillage forages. Pages 1315 in Symposium on Minimum and No-Tillage Systems for Agronomic Crops in the Northeast. Northeast Branch Meeting, Am. Soc. Agron. Rutgers Univ., NJ.Google Scholar
5. Decker, A. M., Retzer, H. J., and Swain, F. G. 1964. Improved soil openers for the establishment of small seeded legumes in sod. Agron. J. 56:211214.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6. Decker, A. M., Retzer, H. J., Sarna, M. L., and Kerr, H. D. 1969. Permanent pastures improved with sod-seeding and fertilization. Agron. J. 61:243247.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7. Doll, J. D. 1980. Perennial weed survey. Proc. North Cent. Weed Control Conf. 35:106109.Google Scholar
8. Dutt, T. E., Harvey, R. G., Fawcett, R. S., Jorgensen, N. A., Larsen, H. J., and Schlough, D. A. 1979. Forage quality and animal performance as influenced by quackgrass (Agropyron repens L.) control in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) with pronamide. Weed Sci. 27:127132.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9. Dutt, T. E. and Harvey, R. G. 1980. Pronamide phytotoxicity in ten Wisconsin soils. Weed Sci. 28:429432.Google Scholar
10. Fawcett, R. S., Harvey, R. G., Schlough, D. A., and Block, I. R. 1978. Quackgrass (Agropyron repens L.) control in established alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) with pronamide. Weed Sci. 26:193198.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11. Goering, H. K. and Van Soest, P. J. 1970. Forage fiber analysis. U.S. Dep. Agric., Agric. Handb. No. 379.Google Scholar
12. Graber, L. F. 1927. Improvement of permanent pastures with sweet clover. Agron. J. 19:9941006.Google Scholar
13. Larson, K. L. and Eastin, J. D. 1971. Drought injury and resistance in crops. Crop Sci. Soc. Am., Spec. Publ. 2. Madison, WI.Google Scholar
14. Linscott, D. L. and Vaughan, R. H. 1982. Influence of herbicides on direct-seeding establishment of birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus) into grass sods. Weed Sci. 30:567571.Google Scholar
15. Mueller-Warrant, G. W. and Koch, D. E. 1980. Weed control for no-till renovation of runout alfalfa. Proc. Northeast Weed Control Conf. 33:3132.Google Scholar
16. Mueller-Warrant, G. W., Koch, D. W., and Mitchell, J. R. 1979. Chemical control of orchardgrass preceeding a no-till alfalfa seeding. Proc. Northeast Weed Control Conf. 33:3132.Google Scholar
17. Oswald, A. K. 1972. The effects of April and July applications of glyphosate, paraquat and dalapon on old permanent pasture. Proc. Br. Weed Control Conf. 11:9941001.Google Scholar
18. Rioux, R. and Bandeen, J. D. 1977. Influence de certains facteurs agronomiques sur la répression du chiendent avec le glyphosate. Can. J. Plant Sci. 57:269275.Google Scholar
19. Sprague, M. A. 1952. The substitution of chemicals for tillage in pasture renovation. Agron. J. 44:405409.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
20. Sprague, M. A., Ilnicki, R. D., Chase, R. W., and Kates, A. H. 1962. Growth of forage seedlings in competition with partially killed sods. Crop Sci. 2:5254.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
21. Taylor, T. H., Smith, E. M., and Templeton, W. C. Jr. 1969. Use of minimum tillage and herbicide for establishing legumes in Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) swards. Agron. J. 61: 761766.Google Scholar
22. Triplett, G. B. Jr. and Van Doren, D. M. Jr. 1977. Agriculture without tillage. Sci. Am. 236(1):2833.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
23. Van Deuren, R. W. and Triplett, G. B. Jr. 1972. No-tillage pasture renovation. Pages 6980 in Proceedings No-tillage Systems Symposium. Ohio Agric. Exp. Stn., Columbus, OH.Google Scholar
24. Van Soest, P. J. 1978. Composition and nutritive value of forages. Pages 5363 in Health, M. E., Metcalf, D. S., and Barnes, R. F., eds. Forages, the Science of Grassland Agriculture, 3rd ed. The Iowa State Univ. Press, Ames, IA.Google Scholar