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The influence of tall fescue on the germination, seedling growth and yield of birdsfoot trefoil
Author(s) -
STEPHENSON R.J.,
POSLER G.L.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
grass and forage science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.716
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1365-2494
pISSN - 0142-5242
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2494.1988.tb02152.x
Subject(s) - trefoil , festuca arundinacea , lotus corniculatus , germination , seedling , agronomy , biology , allelopathy , forage , horticulture , poaceae
The influence of tall fescue ( Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) on germination and seedling growth of birdsfoot trefoil ( Lotus corniculatus L.) was evaluated during 1983‐85 at Manhattan, Kansas. Studies were designed to evaluate tall fescue cv. Kentucky‐31 for possible allelopathic compounds, determine the effects of tall fescue on the germination, seedling growth and yield of birdsfoot trefoil, and to characterize the chemical properties of tall fescue. Fescue produced allelopathic compounds, particularly during the spring and autumn months when it was actively growing. The greatest trefoil inhibition occurred with fescue plant extracts prepared during the autumn (September and October). The concentration of fescue extracts influenced trefoil germination, with greater inhibition as fescue concentration increased. In a sand medium under greenhouse conditions, fescue extracts prepared in spring and autumn reduced trefoil growth by 50 and 56%, respectively, with no inhibition during the summer months. Under field conditions, full strength fescue extracts reduced trefoil plant populations by 14 and 57% with spring and autumn prepared extracts, respectively. Fescue competition reduced sod‐seeded trefoil plants per unit area by 17 and 31% for spring and autumn seeding, respectively. Full strength fescue extracts reduced trefoil seedling growth by an average of 37%, and trefoil dry matter yields by 53%.