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Title: THE POTENTIAL FOR ALLELOPATHY DURING DECOMPOSITION OF HAIRY VETCH RESIDUE

Author
item Teasdale, John
item Abdul Baki, Aref
item PARK, YONG - CHEJU NATIONAL UNIV.
item ROSECRANCE, RICHARD - CHICO STATE UNIV.

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/28/2005
Publication Date: 1/1/2007
Citation: Teasdale, J.R., Abdul Baki, A.A., Park, Y.B., Rosecrance, R.C. 2007. The potential for allelopathy during decomposition of hairy vetch residue. In: Fujii, Y., Hiradate, S., editors. Allelopathy: New Concepts and Methodology. Enfield, NH:Science Publishers. p. 211-225.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Residue of leguminous cover crops such as hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) on the soil surface in minimum tillage cropping systems contributes to integrated weed management as well as provides nitrogen for subsequent crops. Research was conducted to determine the role of allelopathy on suppression of weed emergence by hairy vetch residue as the residue decomposes throughout the season. Residue was removed from the field at various times before and after vetch was killed in spring and assayed for suppression of emergence and growth of selected weed species in greenhouse assays or of lettuce growth in petri dish assays. Results showed that hairy vetch residue that was allowed to decompose in the field or that was subjected to leaching was less suppressive of emergence and/or growth than was residue that was fresh. These results could be explained by the presence of aqueous soluble phytotoxins in fresh hairy vetch residue that were lost during the decomposition process in the field or the leaching process in the laboratory. Aqueous extracts of upper leaf tissue were more inhibitory of seedling root and hypocotyl growth than were lower leaf or stem tissue. This suggests that phytotoxins are present primarily in the metabolically active upper leaves of hairy vetch and that allelopathy contributes to weed suppression for a relatively short time following cover crop kill until leaf tissue has decomposed.