• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.169-175
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• 2022

This study aimed to examine the changes in dry matter yield and growth characteristics of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) in response to variations in sowing dates during the autumn season of 2021-22 in a dry paddy field of Chilbo-myeon, Jeongeup-si, Jeollabuk-do. Treatments comprised four sowing dates at 10-day intervals, i.e., October 8, October 18, October 28, and November 8, 2021. The winter survival rate of alfalfa showed a significant difference between different treatments but was at a satisfactory level for all (p<0.05). The winter survival rate for the fourth sowing date, a month later than the first sowing date, was approximately 11.7% lower than that for the first sowing date. The plant height ranged between 82.3-93.1 cm and 60.5-63.7 cm at the first and second harvest, respectively, smaller at the second harvest than at the first harvest. The total dry matter yield of alfalfa was the highest at 13,316 kg/ha for the first sowing date, and the later the sowing date, the lower the dry matter yield. The protein content of alfalfa ranged between 13.6-17.3% in the first harvest, lower than the standard alfalfa protein content of 20% or more. In relative feed value, the first sowing (Oct. 8) was the most significantly higher in the first harvest (p<0.05). These results suggest that the early and mid-October sowing dates are optimum for sowing alfalfa during autumn and result in improved plant growth, dry matter yield, protein content, and winter survival compared to those at later sowing dates. Therefore, dry paddy fields can be safely employed for alfalfa cultivation with sowing dates in early and mid-October during autumn.

• 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.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.901-905
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• 2014

The efficacy of ozone micro-bubble water (OMBW) in reducing microbial populations on alfalfa seeds was investigated in this study. We observed the surface of alfalfa seeds using microscopy and found that many cracks and crevices existing on the surface could harbor pathogens. Alfalfa seeds were treated with tap water (TW), micro-bubble water (MBW), ozone water (OW), ozone micro-bubble water (OMBW), and chlorine water (CL) for 5 min, and total microbial population, E. coli and Salmonella spp. colonies were determined. Also, the sterilized seeds were germinated and cultivated for 5 d after sowing to investigate the percentage of germination and the growth of alfalfa sprouts. The treatments with OMBW and CL were most effective in reducing total microbial populations and E. coli was eliminated by OW, OMBW, and CL treatments. CL treatment reduced the percentage of germination and fresh weight of alfalfa sprouts, but OMBW did not cause any negative effects on the germination and growth of alfalfa sprouts. These results indicate that OMBW can be used as an effective sanitizer for eliminating seed-borne pathogens without detrimental effects on seed viability.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.403-411
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• 1994

To isolate, purity and identify of bioactive compounds involved in alfalfa allelopathy and/or autotoxicity, experiment was conducted. Isolation and separation procedures used from an 80% methanol extract of fresh alfalfa leaves(1kg), silica gel thin layer chromatography(TLC), followed by Droplet Counter Current Chromatography(DCCC). Preliminary identification was examined by high preformance lipid chromatography(HPLC). Four phenolic compound, salicylic acid, scopoletin, rutin, and quercetin, were identified and identified all compounds were phytotoxic to alfalfa seed germination and seedling growth. Among these compounds, quercetin treatment($10^{-3}M$) was most inhibitory to alfalfa seed germination and seedling growth. These compounds may be, at least in part, involved autotoxicity and allelopathy.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.95-100
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• 1993

Effect of dual inoculation with vesicular-arbuscular(VA) mycorrhizal fungi, Glomus mosseae, and Rhizobium meliloti R455 on growth, nodulation, and nitrogenase activity of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. cv. Vernal) were examined in pot experiment. After 63 days growth, shoot length, number of leaf, and leaf size of alfalfa were increased as as result of dual inoculation with Glomus mosseae and Rhizobium meliloti. Total dry weight of alfalfa plant was increased 1.4 times compared to single inoculation with Rhizobium meliloti. Nodule number and mean fresh weight of nodule per plant were also increased due to the mycorrhizal infection.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.168-176
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• 2023

Silicon (Si) has the potential to improve plant growth and stress tolerance. The study aimed to explore Si-involving plant responses and molecular characterization of different Si-responsive genes in alfalfa. In this study, the exogenous supplementation of Si enhanced plant growth, and biomass yield. Si-acquisition in alfalfa root and shoot was higher in Si-supplemented compared to silicon deficient (-Si) plants, implying Si-acquisition has beneficial on alfalfa plants. As a consequence, the quantum efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) was significantly increased in silicon-sufficient (+Si) plants. The quantitative gene expression analysis exhibited a significant upregulation of the Lsi1, Lsi2, Lsi3, NIP5;1, and NIP6;1 genes in alfalfa roots, while BOR1, BOR4, NIP2, and NIP3 showed no significant variation in their expression. The MEME results further noticed the association of four motifs related to the major intrinsic protein (MIP). The interaction analysis revealed that NIP5;1 and Lsi1 showed a shared gene network with NIP2, BOR1, and BOR4, and Lsi2, Lsi3 and NIP3-1, respectively. These results suggest that members of the major intrinsic proteins (MIPs) family especially Lsi1, Lsi2, Lsi3, NIP5;1, and NIP6;1 genes helped to pass water and other neutral solutes through the cell membrane and those played significant roles in Si uptake and transport in plants. Together, these insights might be useful for alfalfa breeding and genome editing approaches for alfalfa improvement.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.214-220
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• 2005

The study was conducted to compare the dry matter intake and digestibility of Atriplex halimus (AH) and Atriplex nummularia (AN) and determine the proper proportion of saltbushes for partial replacement of alfalfa hay in the diets of Awassi sheep. The foliage of AH and AN were hand-plucked, air-dried in shade and then chopped mechanically similar to alfalfa hay. Two trials were conducted separately to determine voluntary feed intake and digestibility of saltbush browse. In the first trial, fifteen 8 month old Awassi lambs were distributed into 3 equal groups, and each animal was housed in individual pen. Each group received one of three dietary treatments: chopped alfalfa hay (H), dried foliage of Atriplex nummularia or foliage of Atriplex halimus. In the second trial, twentyseven 12 months old Awassi male lambs were randomly selected, distributed into nine equal groups, and housed into metabolic crates. Each group of animals received one of nine dietary treatments: alfalfa hay, AN, AH and different proportions (25, 50 and 75%) of AN or AH mixed with alfalfa hay. Forage type had a significant (p<0.001) effect on dry matter intake (DMI) and growth rate of lambs of the voluntary feed intake trial. Lambs receiving the alfalfa hay diet showed high DMI and high growth rate compared to those fed the diets containing saltbush. In the digestibility trial, dietary treatments had significant (p<0.05) effect on DMI, dry matter digestibility (DMD) (p<0.01) and organic matter digestibility (OMD) (p<0.01). The inclusion of AN in the diet up to 50% had no significant effect on DMI and DMD, whereas the inclusion of AH above 25% reduced DMI, DMD and OMD. The treatments had significant (p<0.05) effect on water intake and on live weight changes of lambs. Except for the diet containing 25% of AN browse, all lambs fed diets containing the saltbushes exhibited loss in body weight. The nutritive value of Atriplex nummularia foliage is better than that of A. halimus and it is possible to replace up to 50% of alfalfa hay by A. nummularia without negative effects on intake and digestibility of dry matter.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.141-149
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• 1997

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of pathogenic hngi(Fusarium culmorurn, Fusarium oxyspomm fsp. lycopersici, Fusaiurn solani, Rhizoctonia solani), pregermination time(0, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 48 hrs.) and temperature($12^{\circ}C, 18^C{\circ}, $28^C{\circ}$) on growth of alfalfa seedling. The survival rate of alfalfa was decreased by pathogenic hngi and treatment of pregermination and survival rate of alfalfa resulted in higher than that of nontreatment of pregermination. Pathogenicity of fungi was increased as increased the temperature(P<0.05). The emergence rate of alfalfa was decreased when pathogenic fungi were inoculated. However, the emergence rate was increased when seeds were pregerminated(P<0.05)

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.285-294
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• 2000

To investigate the effect of Mycorrhiza (Glomus intradics) and Rhizobium inoculation on the N, P utilization and growth response of Alfalfa (Medicago saliva L.) and Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) in mixed sward, four treatments (non-inoculation, Control; Mycorrhiza inoculation: M; Rhizobium inoculation, R and Mycorrhiza and Rhizobium inoculation, M+R) were applied. The associated analyses were canied out on the early vegetative growth stage (DAS 56, 56 days after seeding) and on the early flowering stage (DAS 126). The decreased rate of total N and P content in soil, with advancing plant growth, was relatively higher in the M and M + R treatment than control. The content of availabie phosphorus in soil at DAS 126 increased by about 34 and 38 % in M and M+R treatment compared to control (189.2 mg PzOskg DM), while non-significant changes was observed in R treatment. Total N uptake and P uptake in the control at DAS 126 were 44.71 and 3.52 mglplant in mixed sward, respectively. About 71, 98 and 197 % of increases in total N uptake and 70, 72 and 11 1 % of increases in total P uptake were estimated in M, R and M+R treatment. Comparing to control, total dry matter yield significantly increased by 27, 33 and 53 %, and crude protein yield also by 78, 83 and 204 %, respectively, in M, R and M+R treatment. The present data indicated that mycorrhiza orland rhizobium inoculation improved N, P utilization of both alfalfa and perennial ryegrass plants, and consequently increased total yield (especially by dual inoculation, M+R). (Key words : Alfalfa, Perennial ryegrass, Mycorrhiza, Rhizobium, N and P Utilization, Growth, Yield)

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.275-284
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• 2000

To investigate the effect of Mycorrhiza (Glomus intradics) and Rhizobium inoculation on the N, P utilization and the growth of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), four treatments (non-inoculation, control ; Mycorrhiza inoculation, M ; Rhizobiurn inoculation, R and Mycorrhiza and Rhizobium inoculation, M+R) were applied. The associated analyses were carried out on the early vegetative growth stage (DAS 56, 56 days after seeding) and on the early flowering stage (DAS 126). The decreased rate of total N and P content in soil, with advancing plant growth, was relatively higher in the mycorrhiza andor rhizobium treatments than control. The content of available phosphorus in soil at DAS 126 increased by about 40 % in M and M+R treatment compared to control (141.0 mg PzOg'kg DM), while non-significant changes was observed in R treatment. Total N uptake and P uptake in the control at DAS 126 were 33.91 mglplant and 2.42 mdplant, respectively, about 21, 50 and 51 % of increases in total N uptake and 30, 11 and 47 % of increases in total P uptake were estimated in M, R and M+R treatment. Comparing to control, dry matter yield significantly increased by 8, 27 and 28 %, and crude protein yield also by 21, 42 and 39 %, respectively, in M, R and M+R treatment. The present data indicated that mycorrhiza orland rhizobium inoculation improved N, P utilization, and consequently increased the yield of alfalfa. (Key words : Alfalfa, Mycorrhiza, Rhizobium, N and P Utilization, Growth, Yield)