• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.1865-1869
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• 2018

This study examined the effects of alfalfa seed germination on growth of Salmonella enterica. We investigated the population changes of S. enterica during early sprout development. We found that the population density of S. enterica, which was inoculated on alfalfa seeds was increased during sprout development under all experimental temperatures, whereas a significant reduction was observed when S. enterica was inoculated on fully germinated sprouts. To establish a model for predicting S. enterica growth during alfalfa sprout development, the kinetic growth data under isothermal conditions were collected and evaluated based on Baranyi model as a primary model for growth data. To elucidate the influence of temperature on S. enterica growth rates, three secondary models were compared and found that the Arrhenius-type model was more suitable than others. We believe that our model can be utilized to predict S. enterica behavior in alfalfa sprout and to conduct microbial risk assessments.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.295-305
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• 1994

Greenhouse and laboratory studies were conducted to investigate the allelopathic potential of alfalfa and vetch residues on soybean and corn using various extract concentrations (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20%, w/v) and residue rates (0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1%, w/w). Aqueous extracts of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and vetch (Vicia spp.) exhibited an allelopathic effect on soybean and corn seed germination, seedling length and weight. The degree of inhibition significantly increased as the aqueous extract concentration increased. Alfalfa and vetch 20% extracts reduced soybean seed germination, seedling length and weight by 35%, 57%, 32% and 15%, 42%, 25% respectively, when compared to control. Corn germination, seedling length and weight was inhibited by 20%, 23%, 38% by alfalfa and 19%, 18%, 35% by 20% vetch extracts. Alfalfa and vetch extracts inhibited secondary root formation and branching as the extract concentration increased. Alfalfa and vetch 20% extracts inhibited by 41% and 32% secondary root numbers, respectively as compared to control. It was found that the aqueous extract of alfalfa resulted in greater reduction in germination, seedling length and weight of soybean than that of vetch. Alfalfa and vetch 1% residue rate inhibited soybean plant height by 30% and 10%, leaf area by 31% and 23%, and dry weight by 18% and 1%, nodule number by 27% and 20% also. Alfalfa and vetch residue significantly enhanced plant height, leaf area and dry weight of corn. The maximum stimulation occurred with 0.25% and 1% of alfalfa and vetch residue rates, respectively. Plant height, leaf area, and dry weight increased by 23%, 59%, 58% and 17%, 52%, 94% with alfalfa and vetch residues of 0.25% and 1%, respectively. This study demonstrates that there is an allelopathic potential resulting from alfalfa and vetch residues on soybean growth and yield. It also suggests that these residues may affect crop growth and development due to the inhibitory or stimulatory effects of allelochemicals existing in the residue.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.7-11
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• 2004

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) plants have been reported to be autotoxic as well as allelopathic. Laboratory and greenhouse experiments through petri-dish and pot test were conducted to determine autotoxic effects of alfalfa leaf and soil extracts on the germination or early seedling growth of alfalfa, and to evaluate allelopathic effects of alfalfa leaf residues on alfalfa, barnyard grass, com, eclipta and soybean. Alfalfa seed germination was delayed depending on aqueous extract concentration, with no difference in final germination after 48 hours. Alfalfa root length was more sensitive to the autotoxic chemicals from leaf extracts than was germination or shoot length. Root growth of alfalfa was significantly inhibited at extract concentration of more than 1 g dry tissue/L (g $\textrm{L}^{-1}$). Hypocotyl growth, however, was not affected by all the concentrations of leaf extracts. Soil extracts from 4-yr-old alfalfa stand significantly reduced alfalfa root length by 66%, while soil extracts from 0,1, and 3yr-old stand stimulated root length up to 14-32% over the control. Residue incorporation with dry matters of alfalfa leaf at 100 g $\textrm{kg}^{-1}$ reduced seedling length of several crop and weed species, ranging from 53 to 87% inhibition. Addition of nutrient solution into alfalfa leaf extracts alleviated alfalfa autotoxic effect. This result indicates alfalfa leaf and soil extracts or residues could exert autotoxic as well as allelopathic substances into soil environments during and after establishment.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.475-480
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• 2005

Surface sowing is one of the most important methods to establish and improve grassland. An interest in seed-coating technique for surface sowing has been increased tremendously in the world today. An experiment was conducted to develop a technique for pelleting seeds for pasture production in woodlands. Results showed that pelleting seeds was a better technique than coating seeds because the pelleting reduced coating time of seeds, and it increased the amounts of coated seeds per hour. The pelleting technique was able to minimize damage to seeds through the lower temperature processing and by reducing time for drying, thus, germinating energy, and germination rate of pelleted alfalfa seeds improved. Emergence, establishment, and early growth of alfalfa from pelleted seeds were also improved in woodlands. Based on this study, we could conclude that the seed-pelleting is a very useful technique for the establishment and early growth of alfalfa in woodlands.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.192-197
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• 1981

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. cv. Luna) seeded in agar was inoculated with two strains of Rhizobium meliloti isolated from root nodules of alfalfa for assessment of nodulation. The seedling growth after six weeks was remarkably increased by adding each rhizobia strains into agar media and also by nitrate application (70ug N/ml), but there was no significant difference among them. Nodulations started one week after inoculation and increased its numbers and sizes as seedling grew. Therefore, the two strains isolated from alfalfa root were concluded to be effective strains. For determining seed inoculation method the same cultivar was inoculated with both rhizobia strains using different inoculation methods such as broth-vacuum, peat-adhesive, peat & lime pelleting. They were seeded in pots of river sand and supplied with culture solution excluded nitrogen. The peat & lime pelleting was recognized the best method in both of nodulation and seedling growth after eight weeks growth. There were significant correlations between the weight of nodules and the shoot or root dry weight of alfalfa in both rhizobia strains.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.619-628
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• 1995

Crude aqueous extracts from dried leaves, stems, roots, and flowers from both field grown and greenhouse grown alfalfa plants inhibited alfalfa seed germination and seedling growth. The degree of inhibition was greater in the field grown plant extracts. Flowers extract of field grown plant most inhibited alfalfa germination and seedling growth. In the concentration study, the highest concentration of extract (9.0%, w/v) significantly inhibited total alfalfa seed germination by 50% as compared to control. In partitioning study using pot hydroponic culture of plant biomass into leaves, stems, root, LAR products of LWR and SLA exhibited significant variation among four species. This result support that the inhibitory effect of autotoxic substances presenting in alfalfa tissue may be possible interference with the patitioning of biomass into leaf component relative to the total biomass produced by the alfalfa plant. Toxicity of extract was not reduced by adding activated charcoal, Dowex-50W, amberlite to the extract. Toxic substances existing in most plant tissues but mainly above ground foliage are water soluble and stable and may persist in old alfalfa fields. Thus, it is recommended to remove as much as possible of the above growth parts, especially vegetative stage, before one tries to re-establish alfalfa in former field of alfalfa.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.198-206
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• 1981

A field research was conducted to evaluate the effects of inoculation of Rhizobium meliloti and lime application on the early growth of alfalfa, var. Luna, in an acid soil. Alfalfa seeds were inoculated by lime-peat pelleting method with $A_3$ strain isolated from alfalfa roots. Both inoculated and noninoculated seeds were sown in acid soil (pH 5.5) with three levels of lime application (1, 3, 6 ton/ha) on mid-April. Inoculated seeds produced many effective nodules in early stage and increased nitrogen and chlorophyll contents of leaf, consequently stimulating alfalfa growth. Pseudo nodules were found in noninoculated, while they were seldom formed in inoculated. Lime application increased soil pH, plant height, root length, and shoot and root weight. Liming effect on nodulation was significant at first cut, but no longer after then. Both inoculation and liming increased the forage yield of alfalfa. Inoculation and liming of 6 ton/ha together produced the highest yield. As compared to control plot of nitrogen application, the effect of seed inoculation only could be equal to about 120 kg/ha nitrogen application. The total nitrogen contents of forage were little affected by number or weight of nodules and amounts of lime application.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.291-302
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• 1998

The purpose of this study is to clarify the effect of plant growth regulator "Uniconazole-P" on the control of growth and seed producrtion of pasture plants under grown in sward conditions. Four species examined were orchard grass, timothy, red clover and alfalfa. Uniconazole-P concentrations were control(0), 20ppm and 40ppm, and foliar sprayed on canopy structures at the floral differentiation stages of grasses and at the begining of flowering stages of legumes, respectively. 1. Yield components and seed yield components of grasses and legumes were responded differently between Uniconazole-P concentrations, species and the stages of growth. 2. At early heading stages, the plant length and culm length of grasses were reduced by Uniconazole-P treatments. On the contrary, the dry weight of ears per area and chlorophyll concentrations were increased by Uniconazole-P treatments. 3. At seed ripening stages, the number of ears, dry weight of a tiller, dry weight of a ear, dry weight of ears per area and dry weight of seeds in orchardgrass, and the number of ears, dry weight of a ear, dry weight of ears per area, dry weight of seeds and harvest index in timothy were increased by Uniconazole-P treatments. 4. At early flowering stages, the plant length and total length of internodes were reduced by Uniconazole-P treatments. On the contrary, total length of branches and chlorophyll concentrations of red clover and alfalfa were increased by Uniconazole-P treatments. Particularly, the number of inflorescences and dry weight of inflorescences of red clover was increased greatly by Uniconazole-P treatments. 5. At seed ripening stages, the plant length of both of legumes were reduced by Uniconazole-P treatments. On the contrary, the dry weight of a inflorescence, dry weight of inflorescences per area, dry weight of seeds and harvest index of alfalfa was increased by Uniconazole-P treatments. 6. Seed production of grasses by Uniconazole-P treatments can be explained as following processes at each stage of growth. 1) reduced in plant length and culm lengths at early heading stages, 2) increased in number of ears and dry weight of a ear at both of stages, and 3) increased in dry weight of ears per area, dry weight of seeds and harvest index at seed ripening stages. 7. Seed production of legumes by Uniconazole-P treatments can be explained as following processes at each stage of growth. 1) reduced in plant length and total length of internodes and increased in number of branches and total length of branches at early flowering stages, 2) increased in number of inflorescences and dry weight of inflorescences at both of stages, and 3) increased in dry weight of seeds and harvest index at seed ripening stages.

• Plant Resources
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.116-121
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• 2005

Compositae plants are known to contain biologically active substances that are allelopathic to agricultural crops as well as weed species. Aqueous or methanol extracts and plant residues from leaves of Xanthium occidentale were assayed against alfalfa (Medicago sativa) to determine its allelopathic effects, and the results showed that the extracts applied onto filter paper significantly inhibited seed germination as well as root growth of alfalfa. Aqueous leaf extracts of $40g\;L^{-1}$ were completely inhibitory on root growth of alfalfa, while root growths of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.) were less sensitive. Leaf residue incorporation at $100g\;kg^{-1}$ into soil on seedling growth of barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli Beauv. var. oryzicola Ohwi) inhibited both shoot and root fresh weights of barnyard grass by 94 and $96\%$, respectively. Methanol extracts from BuOn and EtOAc fractions of X. occidentale reduced alfalfa root growth more than did those from hexane and water fractions. The results based on bioassay of extracts and residues show that X. occidentale had potent an allelopathic activity against other plant species.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.281-288
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• 2008

Seed priming is an useful technique for increasing germination and early establishment of seedlings. In this experiment, the conditions for priming of pasture seeds (tall fescue, orchardgrass, alfalfa and white clover) have been optimized to ensure an early germination and more uniform growth of seedlings. The experiment was conducted in a split plot design with three replications. The main plots consisted of four different priming duration such as 2, 4, 6 and 8 days for grass, and 1, 2, 3 and 4 days for legume. The subplots were consisted of three priming temperature such as 10, 15 and $20^{\circ}C$. Effects of priming duration and temperature were different in all four pasture seeds examined. The germination of primed grass (tall fescue and orchardgrass) was the highest on 6 days in priming duration, whereas that of legume (alfalfa and white clover) was the highest on 2 days. In priming temperature, the germination of primed orchradgrass increased as decreasing temperature, however that of legume increased as increasing temperature. These results suggest that seed priming induced earlier and higher germination for all four pastures tested. However, the degree of priming effectiveness on pasture species depending on the priming duration and its temperature.