Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-8ctnn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T15:34:10.606Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Ability of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) to Establish in a Seminatural Habitat under Different Seed Dispersal Times and Disturbance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Muthukumar V. Bagavathiannan ,
Robert H. Gulden  and
Rene C. Van Acker
Muthukumar V. Bagavathiannan*
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
Robert H. Gulden
Affiliation:
Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
Rene C. Van Acker
Affiliation:
Ontario Agricultural College, University of Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
*
Corresponding author's E-mail: vbmuthukumar@yahoo.co.in
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Alfalfa is an important forage crop in North America, and it can also be found as a roadside weed in alfalfa-growing regions. Weediness and invasiveness are greatly facilitated by establishment ability, yet little is known about the ability of alfalfa to establish in competitive environments such as roadsides. The primary objective of this study was to estimate the degree of alfalfa establishment without managed cultivation under different seed-dispersal times and disturbance regimes. The study had a split-plot design with two main plots (spring and fall seed dispersal) and five subplots (mowing, soil disturbance, herbicide spray, seedbed, and undisturbed control). The study examined establishment, growth attributes, and reproductive output of alfalfa in response to these treatments. Alfalfa establishment in the undisturbed grass swards ranged between 0.5 and 9.7% (out of the total number of seeds dispersed) across the dispersal times. The density of alfalfa in fall-seeded plots was about 82% lower than in spring-seeded plots. Soil disturbance reduced the density of alfalfa to < 50% of the initial density. Generally, low plant densities were compensated over time by increased numbers of shoots and reproductive units (racemes and pods) per plant. Herbicide application (2,4-D + dicamba) effectively controlled all emerged alfalfa plants, but in some cases, seedling recruitment was observed in the years following herbicide application. Although mowing did not kill alfalfa plants, mowed plants did not produce mature seeds, and as such, mowing may be useful in restricting the reproductive success and population growth of alfalfa. Overall, it is evident that alfalfa is capable of establishing in competitive environments (such as roadside habitats) and rapidly recovering from moderate disturbances. The results of this study have implications for managing roadside alfalfa and for designing novel trait-confinement protocols for alfalfa.

Keywords

2,4-Ddicambaalfalfa, Medicago sativa LAlfalfadisturbanceestablishmentferalitynovel trait confinementpersistence
Type
Weed Biology and Ecology
Information
Weed Science , Volume 59 , Issue 3 , September 2011 , pp. 314 - 320
Copyright
Copyright © 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

Askarian, M., Hampton, J. G., and Hill, M. J. 1995. Effect of row spacing and sowing rate on seed production of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) cv. ‘Grasslands Oranga’. N. Z. J. Agric. Res. 38:289–295.Google Scholar
Bagavathiannan, M. V. and Van Acker, R. C. 2008. Crop ferality: implications for novel trait confinement. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 127:1–6.Google Scholar
Bagavathiannan, M. V. and Van Acker, R. C. 2009. The biology and ecology of feral alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and its implications for novel trait confinement in North America. Crit. Rev. Plant Sci. 28:69–87.Google Scholar
Bagavathiannan, M. V., Gulden, R. H., and Van Acker, R. C. 2008. Occurrence of escaped alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) populations along the road verges in Southern Manitoba, Canada. Page 31 in Proceedings of the 62nd Annual Meeting of the Canadian Weed Science Society, Banff, AB, Canada. Pinawa, MB, Canada Canadian Weed Science Society [Abstract].Google Scholar
Ballard, L.A.T. 1973. Physical barriers to germination. Seed Sci. Technol. 1:285–303.Google Scholar
Bass, L. N., Gunn, C. R., Hesterman, O. B., and Roos, E. E. 1988. Seed physiology, seedling performance and seed sprouting. Pages 961–984 in Hanson, A. A., Barnes, D. K., and Hill, R. R. Jr., eds. Alfalfa and Alfalfa Improvement. Madison, Wisconsin American Society of Agronomy.Google Scholar
[CFIA] Canadian Food Inspection Agency. 2005. Decision Document DD2005-53: Determination of the Safety of Monsanto Canada Inc.'s Roundup Ready Alfalfa (Medicago sativa, L.) Events J101 and J163. http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/plaveg/bio/dd/dd0553e.shtml. Accessed: February 14, 2010.Google Scholar
Chamblee, D. S. and Collins, M. 1988. Relationships with other species in a mixture. Pages 439–462 in Hanson, A. A., Barnes, D. K., and Hill, R. R. Jr., eds. Alfalfa and Alfalfa Improvement. Madison, Wisconsin American Society of Agronomy.Google Scholar
Dhont, C., Castonguay, Y., Nadeau, P., Belanger, G., and Chalifour, F. P. 2003. Alfalfa root nitrogen reserves and regrowth potential in response to fall harvests. Crop Sci. 43:181–194.Google Scholar
Doebley, J. F., Gaut, B. S., and Smith, B. D. 2006. The molecular genetics of crop domestication. Cell. 127:1309–1321.Google Scholar
Frary, A. and Douanlar, S. 2003. Comparative genetics of crop plant domestication and evolution. Turk. J. Agric. For. 27:59–69.Google Scholar
Gepts, P. 2002. A comparison between crop domestication, classical plant breeding, and genetic engineering. Crop Sci. 42:1780–1790.Google Scholar
Ghermandi, L. and Bran, G. 2004. Early post-fire succession in northwestern Patagonia grasslands. J. Veg. Sci. 15:67–76.Google Scholar
Hall, M. H., Nelson, C. J., Coutts, J. H., and Stout, R. C. 2004. Effect of seeding rate on alfalfa stand longevity. Agron. J. 96:717–722.Google Scholar
Harlan, J. R. 1992. Crops and Man. 2nd ed. Madison, WI American Society of Agronomy and Crop Science Society of America. 284 p.Google Scholar
Hawkes, J. G. 1983. The diversity of Crop Plants. Cambridge, MA Harvard University Press. 184 p.Google Scholar
Jorgelina, F., Luciana, G., and Donaldo, B. 2009. Post-fire shrub recruitment in a semi-arid grassland: the role of microsites. J. Veg. Sci. 20:251–259.Google Scholar
Kendrick, D. L., Pester, T. A., Horak, M. J., Rogan, G. J., and Nickson, T. E. 2005. Biogeographic survey of feral alfalfa populations in the U.S. during 2001 and 2002 as a component of an ecological risk assessment of Roundup Ready alfalfa. Page 124 in Hartzler, R. G. and Hartzler, A. N. Proceedings of the 60th Annual Meeting of the North Central Weed Science Society Meeting, UT, USA. Las Cruces, NM North Central Weed Science Society [Abstract].Google Scholar
Kilcher, M. R. 2006. Grass-alfalfa seeding ratios and control of alfalfa domination in mixtures. Grass Forage Sci. 14:29–35.Google Scholar
Leep, R. H. and Jeranyama, A.J.A. 2001. Fall dormancy and snow depth effects on winterkill of alfalfa. Agron. J. 93:1142–1148.Google Scholar
Littell, R. C., Milliken, G. A., Stroup, W. W., and Wofinger, R. D. 1996. SAS system for mixed models. Cary, NC SAS Institute.Google Scholar
Lund, R. E. 1975. Tables for an approximate test for outliers in linear models. Technometrics. 17:473–476.Google Scholar
Muller, M. H., Poncet, C., Prosperi, J. M., Santoni, S., and Ronfort, J. 2005. Domestication history in the Medicago sativa species complex: inferences from nuclear sequence polymorphism. Mol. Ecol. 15:1589–1602.Google Scholar
Riday, H. and Brummer, C. E. 2004. Performance of intersubspecific alfalfa hybrids in sward versus space planted plots. Euphytica. 138:107–112.Google Scholar
Rolston, M. P. 1978. Water impermeable seed dormancy. Bot. Rev. 44:365–396.Google Scholar
Saxton, A. M. 1998. A macro for converting mean separation output to letter groupings in Proc Mixed. Pages 1243–1246 in Proceedings of the 23rd SAS Users Group International Conference, Nashville, TN. Cary, NC SAS Institute.Google Scholar
Sparrow, P.A.C., Irwin, J. A., Dale, P. J., Twyman, R. M., and Ma, J.K.C. 2007. Pharma-Planta: road testing the developing regulatory guidelines for plant-made pharmaceuticals. Transgenic Res. 16:147–161.Google Scholar
Stout, D. G. 1998. Effect of high lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) sowing rates on establishment year yield, stand persistence and forage quality. J. Agron. Crop Sci. 180:39–43.Google Scholar
Teixeira, E. I., Moot, D. J., Brown, H. E., and Fletcher, A. L. 2007. The dynamics of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) yield components in response to defoliation frequency. Eur. J. Agron. 26:394–400.Google Scholar