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Toxicity of Decomposing Crop Residues to Cotton Germination and Seedling Growth 1
Author(s) -
Megie Christian A.,
Pearson R. W.,
Hiltbold A. E.
Publication year - 1967
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1967.00021962005900020023x
Subject(s) - germination , seedling , radicle , loam , agronomy , chemistry , ammonia , phytotoxicity , toxicity , ammonium , horticulture , biology , soil water , ecology , organic chemistry
Toxicity of un‐ionized ammonia was the primary reason for inhibited germination and reduced growth of cotton seedlings following incorporation of plant residues in a sandy loam soil. The accumulation of ammonia in toxic amounts resulted from increased soil pH and ammonium N content, whicn were proportional to the organic N content of the residues. Plant growth decreased sharply with increasing ammonia and levels above about 10 ppm were lethal. Under sterile conditions, 1:50 plant‐water extracts did not reduce germination, but with the onset of microbial decomposition, extracts of all materials were highly toxic. At concentrations above 1 :50, alfalfa extracts reduced radicle elongation even under sterile conditions, indicating the presence of a toxic constituent, possibly saponin.