Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) Seed Yield Response to Herbicides

1990 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Najib Malik ◽  
John Waddington

Seedling alfalfa was injured by chlorsulfuron and sethoxydim plus 2,4-DB but recovered the following year as alfalfa seed yields were comparable to the hand-weeded control. Fluazifopbutyl and flamprop-methyl (active isomer) at 0.5 kg/ha did not affect seedling alfalfa adversely; however, seed yields were lower the following year compared to those treated at the 0.25-kg/ha rate. In established alfalfa, sethoxydim alone or with 2,4-DB applied annually did not affect seed yields adversely. However, 2,4-DB alone reduced seed yields in 2 of 5 yr. Alfalfa tolerated chlorsulfuron at 0.015 kg/ha but was damaged at the 0.03-kg/ha rate. Initial injury and later recovery without adverse effects on seed yield also were observed following annual treatments with bromoxynil, MCPA plus 2,4-DB and bentazon plus 2,4-DB.

Weed Science ◽  
1980 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 164-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Waddington

Applications of 2,4-D [(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)acetic acid] at 1.1 kg/ha at the start of each growing season severely damaged established alfalfa (Medicago sativaL. ‘Beaver’) and reduced seed yield 32% over a 4-yr period. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinaleWeber) populations were reduced but perennial sowthistle (Sonchus arvensisL.) increased in frequency. Dichlobenil (2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile) applied at 2.1 kg/ha controlled both dandelion and perennial sowthistle. Alfalfa was damaged initially but rapid recovery resulted in an increase in seed yield in 2 yr out of 4. Terbacil (3-tert-butyl-5-chloro-6-methyluracil) applied at 1.1 kg/ha also controlled dandelion and perennial sowthistle. No alfalfa damage was evident and seed yields were increased 34% over a 3-yr period. Seed yield increased 30% where asulam (methyl sulfanilylcarbamate) was applied at 4.5 kg/ha, but there was no visible effect on the growth of either alfalfa or weeds. Simazine [2-chloro-4,6-bis (ethylamino)-s-triazine], propham (isopropyl carbanilate) + PCMC (p-chlorophenyl-N-methyl carbamate), pronamide [3,5-dichloro(N-1,1-dimethyl-2-propynyl)benzamide], and diuron [3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea], did not affect alfalfa seed production significantly, although simazine and diuron did reduce dandelion populations.


2009 ◽  
Vol 62 ◽  
pp. 343-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.P. Rolston ◽  
B.L. McCloy ◽  
I.C. Harvey ◽  
R.W. Chynoweth

A summary of seed yield data from 19 fungicide trials in perennial and hybrid ryegrass (Lolium spp) seed crops conducted over a 12 year period is presented Seed yields from the best fungicide treatments were increased on average by 25 in forage ryegrass (390 kg/ha) and 42 in turf ryegrass (580 kg/ha) Seed yield increases were associated with the control of stem rust and/or maintaining green leaf area during seed fill In turf ryegrass (susceptible to stem rust) delaying the first fungicide application until stem rust appeared resulted in seed yields that were not different (P>005) from the untreated experimental controls whereas early fungicide applications from the beginning of reproductive development increased seed yield by between 36 and 42 Fungicide mixes of a triazole plus a strobilurin usually gave higher seed yields than using either fungicide type alone


2003 ◽  
Vol 83 (1) ◽  
pp. 189-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. E. May ◽  
H. A. Loeppky ◽  
D. C. Murrell ◽  
C. D. Myhre ◽  
J. J. Soroka

Preharvest applications of glyphosate have been shown to be effective in controlling Canada thistle in annual crops, but may reduce alfalfa seed yield depending on time and rate of application. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of preharvest applications of glyphosate on subsequent alfalfa seed yield and quality. The effects of timing, 1, 26, 51 and 76% alfalfa seed pod maturity, and rate, 0, 440, 880, 1320, and 1760 g a.i. ha-1, of a preharvest application of glyphosate on alfalfa seed yield and quality in the year of application, and regrowth and seed yield in the following year were determined. The rate of glyphosate applied did not affect seed yield in the application year; however, in the following year, growth and seed yield were reduced as rates increased. Delaying the application of glyphosate increased seed yields in the application year, but decreased alfalfa regrowth and flowering the following year. Germination and seedling emergence were not affected by the rate or timing of the glyphosate. A preharvest application of glyphosate at 1760 g a.i. ha-1 at 76% pod maturity is a viable option in the last year of seed production. Key words: Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), glyphosate, abnormal seeds, seed quality, and seedling vigour


1991 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 481-489 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Moyer ◽  
R. W. Richards ◽  
G. B. Schaalje

Alfalfa was seeded in row spacings of 36, 72 and 108 cm and at broadcast seeding rates of 0.33, 1.0 and 3.0 kg ha−1 on irrigated land at Tilley (1983) and Lethbridge (1984), Alberta to determine the effect of plant density on weed growth and alfalfa seed yield. During the seed-producing years at each location, herbicide treatments were overlaid on seeding treatments in a split-block arrangement to assess the joint effect of herbicides and plant density on alfalfa seed yield. Hexazinone was the main herbicide used for weed control. Alfalfa seed and weeds were harvested for 5 yr following alfalfa establishment. Alfalfa seed yields tended to be maximum with 36-cm row spacings or the 3.0 kg ha−1 broadcast seeding rate, and were similar in row-seeded and broadcast-seeded alfalfa. Dry matter yields of weeds decreased as row spacings decreased or the broadcast seeding rate increased. Hexazinone controlled quackgrass, sow thistle, flixweed and kochia. In the experiment at Tilley with perennial weed infestations, mean alfalfa seed yields from 1984 to 1985 were 20% larger when herbicides were used than in the untreated check. Alfalfa plant densities slightly larger than currently recommended usually produced the largest seed yields and smallest weed infestations. Key words: Medicago sativa, quackgrass, kochia, sow thistle, flixweed, hexazinone


1996 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 435-439 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Moyer ◽  
S. N. Acharya ◽  
J. Fraser ◽  
K. W. Richards ◽  
N. Foroud

Recommendations for desiccation of alfalfa do not clearly define the stage at which desiccants should be applied. To obtain this information, diquat and glufosinate were applied to alfalfa (Medicago sativa L) from 1991 to 1994 at various stages of maturity to determine the effect of desiccant and stage of maturity at desiccation on seed yield 1000-seed weight and seed germinability. Alfalfa seed yields, 1000-seed weights, percent germination and percent viable seed were similar after desiccation with diquat and glufosinate. Desiccation when 60–75% of the alfalfa seed pods were brown permitted maximum seed yields. Percent germination increased slightly in seeds that were exposed to weathering under normal conditions until all pods turned brown. Both desiccants adequately desiccated alfalfa for harvesting but desiccation with glufosinate took 2 or 3 d longer than diquat. Desiccants did not reduce alfalfa growth in the spring after application. Key words: Germination, yield, hard seed, seed weight, stage


1987 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 263-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. WADDINGTON ◽  
N. MALIK

In two experiments at Melfort using alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. ’Beaver’) seeded at a rate of 2 kg ha−1 with and without a Polish rapeseed (Brassica campestris L. ’Candle’) companion crop seeded at 5.5 kg ha−1, rapeseed yields in the establishment year were maximum when alfalfa and rapeseed were mixed and planted in 15-cm rows. Alfalfa showed no consistent seed yield differences between broadcast seeding, seeding in 15- or 61-cm rows, or seeding with or without the companion crop.Key words: Alfalfa, rapeseed, Brassica campestris, seed production


1977 ◽  
Vol 88 (3) ◽  
pp. 605-614 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. D. Hebblethwaite

SUMMARYThe effects of irrigation and nitrogen on S. 23 perennial ryegrass grown for seed were investigated in a series of field experiments from 1972 to 1974. Irrigation significantly increased seed yield by 16% in 1972 and 52% in 1974 but had no effect in the wet year of 1973. In 1972 maximum deficit reached 110 mm at the end of July and coincided with anthesis. Consequently the yield response was due to an increase in number of seeds per unit area and no other seed yield component was affected. In 1974 peak deficit also reached about 100 mm but started to build up rapidly very early in the season and had reached 80 mm by the time that the first ears emerged. Consequently the yield response was due to increases in number of fertile tillers, number of seeds per unit area and 1000-seed weight.Irrigation had no significant effect on number of florets or seeds, except in 1974 when percentage of florets which produced seed was increased by 2%.Irrigation had some effect on threshed straw yields, total dry matter, harvest index and total number of tillers but where this occurred the response was much smaller than that of seed yield which indicates that irrigation had greater effects on the reproductive development of the crop than on yield of dry matter and tillering patterns. Increasing the quantity of nitrogen from 0 to 80 kg/ha increased seed yields, all seed yield components except 1000-seed weight, threshed straw yields and total dry matter and number of tillers at most sampling dates. Increasing the quantity of nitrogen from 80 to 160 kg/ha had little further effect on the above components except in 1972 where seed yields were significantly decreased.In 1972 number of florets was increased and percentage of florets which produced seed decreased with increasing quantities of nitrogen.


Weed Science ◽  
1982 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. H. Dawson ◽  
C. M. Rincker

Alfalfa (Medicago sativaL. ‘Vernal′) seeded in April in rows 55 cm apart and kept free of weeds produced 820 kg/ha of seed during the year of seeding. Competition from a dense popualtion (40 plants/m of row) of mixed species of annual weeds reduced the seed yield to 45 kg/ha. Competition from a dense population (55 plants/m of row) of broadleaf weeds, a light population (4 plants/m of row) of broadleaf weeds, or a heavy population (75 culms/m of row) of barnyardgrass [Echinochloa crusgalli(L.) Beauv.] reduced yields to 80, 310, and 160 kg/ha, respectively. A weed management system, consisting of EPTC (S-ethyl dipropylthiocarbamate) or profluralin [N-(cyclopropylmethyl)-α,α,α-trifluoro-2,6-dinitro-N-propyl-p-toluidine] applied at or before planting, 2,4-DB [4-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy) butyric acid] applied postemergence, trifluralin (α,α,α- trifluoro-2,6-dinitro-N,N-dipropyl-p-toluidine) incorporated with the soil when the alfalfa was 20 cm tall, interrow tillage, and a modest input of hand labor brought the crop to harvest free of weeds, and the yields of alfalfa seed were similar to those from plots kept weed-free by hand labor only. When weeds within the rows were controlled by hand labor only, labor inputs as great as 930 h/ha were required to bring the crop to harvest free of weeds, whereas labor inputs of 7 to 17 h/ha removed all surviving weeds when effective weed management systems had been applied.


1998 ◽  
Vol 49 (7) ◽  
pp. 1057 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. H. M. Siddique ◽  
S. P. Loss ◽  
K. L. Regan ◽  
D. L. Pritchard

The growth and seed yield response of lentil (cv. Digger) to sowing rate (20-120 kg/ha) was studied at 13 sites over 3 seasons in the cropping regions of south-western Australia. The economic optimum plant density was estimated by fitting an asymptotic model to the data and calculating the sowing rate above which the cost for additional seed was equivalent to the revenue that could be achieved from the extra seed yield produced, assuming a 10% opportunity cost. On average across all sites and seasons, only 51% of sown seeds emerged. Increasing sowing rate resulted in greater dry matter production at ˚owering and maturity, and fewer pods per plant. Harvest index (0·31-0·36), number of seeds per pod (1·13-1·84), and mean seed weight (2·9-3·6 g/100 seeds) remained relatively stable with changes in sowing rate. The asymptotic models fitted to seed yields accounted for 1-73% of the total variance in the data, except at one site where a model could not be found to provide an adequate fit to the data. In addition to this site, another 5 sites were excluded from further consideration where the percentage of variance accounted for was <25% or the predicted optimum densities and seed yield potentials were well beyond the range of the data. The economic optimum of the remaining 7 sites ranged from 96 to 228 plants/m2, with a mean of 146 plants/m2. These results suggest that lentil yields may be improved by increasing sowing rates beyond those currently targeted in southern Australia (100-125 plants/m2). On the basis of these results, targeting a density of about 150 plants/m2 by using a sowing rate of approximately 90-110 kg/ha is recommended, depending on mean seed weight and germination percentage of the seed. Even higher sowing rates may be optimum where the growing conditions are unfavourable and individual plant growth is limited.


1992 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 588-593 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. Hume ◽  
D. H. Blair

In the absence of Bradyrhizobium japonicum populations in the soil, yields of field-grown soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) usually respond to inoculation with B. japonicum. The objective of this research was to determine the relationship between numbers of B. japonicum per seed in inoculants and soybean nodulation and yield. A total of six field experiments were conducted in 1989 and 1990 on new soybean soils. In dilution trials, Grip inoculant was applied to provide approximately 106, 105, 104, and 103B. japonicum per seed at two locations in 1989. Nodule number and mass, as well as seed yield, increased curvilinearly upward with increasing log10 most probable numbers (MPNs) of B. japonicum. The yield response curve was best fit by a cubic equation, which accounted for 97% of the variation in yield. Seed yields increased 19% (1.83 to 2.13 Mg/ha) from 105 to 106B. japonicum per seed. In field experiments involving 8 commercial inoculants in 1989 and 10 in 1990, and conducted at two locations in each year, responses to increasing log MPNs in the inoculants also were concave upwards and cubic. In the two years, 78 and 46% of the yield variation was accounted for by log MPN per seed. Increasing MPN per seed from 105 to 106 improved yields in first-time fields by an average of 24%, indicating the present minimum standard of 105B. japonicum per seed should be increased. Key words: most probable numbers, response to inoculation, nodulation, Glycine max (L.) Merrill.


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