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Phytotoxicity from plant residues

II. The effect of time of rotting of straw from some grasses and legumes on the growth of wheat seedlings

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Summary

Cold aqueous extracts of several grasses and legumes that had been rotted for periods up to 21 days have been shown to inhibit the growth of wheat grown under aseptic conditions. The degree of inhibition varied from one species to another and also with rotting period. Straws which were cut while still green produced a higher level of toxicity than those cut when fully matured. Growth of roots was inhibited more than that of shoots and generally the degree of inhibition decreased with time of rotting. All toxic extracts showed a trough in conductivity values during rotting. Values of pH increased with period of rotting, generally up to pH 8.0–8.5.

Toxic extracts contained material of a large range of molecular weights. However, the most toxic material from extracts of rye straw rotted for 4 days had molecular weights from 10,000 to 50,000.

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Soils, CSIRO, Adelaide, Australia

    R. W. L. Kimber

Authors
  1. R. W. L. Kimber
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Additional information

Part I,Aust. J. agric. Res., 1967,18, 361.

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Kimber, R.W.L. Phytotoxicity from plant residues. Plant Soil 38, 347–361 (1973). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00779018

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00779018

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