• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.47 no.3
• /
• pp.475-480
• /
• 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
• /
• v.51 no.1
• /
• pp.101-106
• /
• 2006

Common thistle contains water-soluble substances that are phytotoxic to neighboring plant species. A series of aqueous extracts from leaves, stems, roots and flowers of common thistle (Cirsium pendulum Fisch.) were assayed against alfalfa (Medicago sativa) seedlings to determine their allelopathy, and the results showed highest inhibition in the extracts from flowers and leaves, and followed by stems, and roots. The extracts at 40 g dry tissue $L^{-1}(g\;L^{-1})$ applied on filter paper in a Petri-dish significantly inhibited root growth of test plant by 87%. Methanol extracts at 100 g $L^{-1}$ from leaves inhibited root growth of alfalfa and barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli) by 89 and 98%, respectively. Hexane and ethylacetate fractions of common thistle reduced alfalfa root growth more than did butanol and water fractions. Incorporation into soil with the leaf residues at $100g\;kg^{-1}$ inhibited shoot fresh weights of barnyardgrass and eclipta (Eclipta prostrate) by 88 and 58%, respectively, showing higher sensitivity in grass species. These results suggest that common thistle plants had allelopathic potential for eco-friendly vegetation management, and that especially their activities were differently exhibited depending on plant part.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
• /
• v.48 no.5
• /
• pp.402-406
• /
• 2003

Greenhouse and laboratory studies were conducted to determine the allelopathic potentials of extracts or residues from sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L. (Lam). The extracts applied on filter paper in a Petri dish bioassay significantly inhibited root growth of alfalfa. Aqueous leachates at 40g dry tissue $\textrm{L}^{-1}$ (g $\textrm{L}^{-1}$) from leaves showed the highest inhibition against alfalfa, and followed by stems and roots. Alfalfa root growth was significantly inhibited by methanol extracts of the same plants as the concentration increased. The effect of residue incorporation into soil on seedling growth of com, soybean, barnyard grass and eclipta was examined in the greenhouse, and results showed that the leaf residues at 200g $\textrm{kg}^{-1}$ by plant parts inhibited shoot dry and root dry weights of test plants by 60-80%. By means of HPLC, causative allelopathic substances present in plant parts of sweet potato "Sinyulmi" were identified as coumarin, trans-cinnamic acid, o-coumaric acid, p-coumaric acid, and chlorogenic acid. Total content of these compounds for leaves extracts were detected as the greatest amount in EtOAc fraction, especially trans-cinnamic acid was the greatest component. These results suggest that sweet potato plants have herbicidal potentials, and that their activities exhibit differently depending on plant parts.ant parts.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
• /
• v.6 no.2
• /
• pp.87-90
• /
• 2004

An efficient plant regeneration system in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) through somatic embryogenesis was established. Embryogenic callus was obtained by culture of hypocotyl segments on MS medium with 0.02mg $L^{-1}$ IAA and 1.0mg $L^{-1}$ zeatin after 45 days of culture. Embryogenic calli were converted to the somatic embryos when transferred to either MS medium without plant growth regulators (PGRs) or MS medium containing various cytokinin (BA, kinetin and zeatin). Most of the somatic embryos were developed into plantlets on MS medium supplemented with 0.1 mg $L^{-1}$ kinetin. Also, secondary embryos appeared on the surface of primary embryo but they showed abnormal growth. Regenerated plantlets were transplanted to pots containing vermiculite and perlite for further analysis.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
• /
• v.44 no.3
• /
• pp.210-214
• /
• 2024

Drought stress is one of the major factors that reduce plant growth and productivity. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of exogenous acetic acid pretreatment on drought stress tolerance response in plants. Fourteen-day-old alfalfa plants were pretreated with 15 mM acetic acid, and then subsequently subjected to drought stress for 6 days. The fresh weight and relative water content in the leaves of acetic acid pretreated alfalfa plants were increased compared to the control group. The chlorophyll and carotenoid contents were slightly decreased in the acetic acid treatment. The H₂O₂ and proline contents were also significantly decreased in the acetic acid treatment. These results suggest that the scavenging mechanism of reactive oxygen species in alfalfa activated by acetic acid pretreatment is involved in conferring tolerance to drought stress.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.475-482
• /
• 2010

Thirty-six Najdi ram lambs, weighing an average of 24 kg and circa 3 months old, were utilized in this trial to evaluate the effects of various alfalfa hay particle lengths in the diet on growth performance, digestion coefficients, nitrogen retention and carcass characteristics. Lambs were randomly allotted to three dietary treatments: 9.5 and 14 mm diets, where alfalfa hay was processed to 9.5 and 14 mm particle lengths, respectively, mixed with 3 parts of concentrate and pelleted as a total mixed ration (TMR), and long hay diet, where one part of loose alfalfa hay (17.8${\pm}$2.4 cm) was offered in combination with 3 parts of only-concentrate pellet. All dietary treatments were homogeneous in their ingredient composition. All lambs were slaughtered after a 14-week feeding trial. Although the results showed no significant effect of hay particle length on DMI, TDN and DCP, lambs fed the 9.5 mm pelleted diet had higher (p<0.05) final body weight, ADG, gain efficiency and nitrogen retention than lambs fed the 14 mm and long hay diets. Altering the particle length of alfalfa hay in diets did not affect the digestibility of DM or CP, whereas digestibilities of ADF and NDF were 3.7% and 5.4% higher (p<0.05), respectively, for the long hay diet versus the 9.5 mm pelleted diet. Hot carcass weight, percentage of separable lean from the $9-11^{th}$ rib joint, and percentages of protein and EE in the separable lean increased (p<0.05) as the particle length of alfalfa hay in the diet decreased. Under the conditions of this study, the reduction of particle length in the TMR played an important role in enhancing performance without altering DM consumption, and this may lead to more efficient productivity of lamb fattening compared with longer chopping lengths.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.192-197
• /
• 1997

Italian ryegrass, red clover, sorghum, and alfalfa were used for leaf protein preparation. Fresh leaves were pulped in the presence or absence of a reducing agent(sodium ascorbate or NaHSO$_{4}$) and green juice was heated and washed with acetone. The biological evaluation of leaf proteins was carried out by the growth method with male rats weighing about 45g. Italian ryegrass, red clover, and sorghum were brown when leaves were pulped in the absence of a reducing agent. On the other hand, alfalfa had neither o-diphenolics nor polyphenolase, and hence the alfalfa leaf protein did not brown during pulping ever in the absence of a reducing agent. The brown leaf protein from Italian ryegrass hd lower digestibility than the leaf protein protected from browning, although there were no difference in growth-promoting effect and protein efficiency ratio(PER)between the two leaf protein. The feeding of brown leaf protein from red clover resulted in the lowering of weight gain, digestibility, and PER, and all the measurement including diet intake were lowered by feeding the brown leaf protein from sorghum. In the case of alfalfa leaf protein, there were no difference in nutritional quality between the two leaf protein made with and without an attempt to prevent browning. The results mentioned above indicate that the occurrence of phenolics and polyphemolase in a crop in responsible for the browning of leaf protein and that the browning of leaf protein caused its nutritional impairment.

• Plant Resources
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.47-53
• /
• 2004

Several wild plant species are known to contain biologically active substances that are allelopathic to weed species as well as antioxidant to foods. Plant extracts or residues from leaves of 4 species, Achyranthes japonica (speedwell), Cucumis sativus (Cucumber), Trifolium repens (white clover), and Vicia angustifolia (narrowleaf vetch) were bioassayed against Medicago sativa (alfalfa) or Echinochloa crus-galli (barnyard grass) to determine their allelopathic effects, and used for measurement of antioxidant activities. The aqueous extracts applied on filter paper significantly inhibited root growth of alfalfa. Aqueous extracts or residues from V. angustifolia showed the most inhibitory effect on alfalfa or barnyard grass seedling growth and followed by A. japonica and T. repens. Oxidative stability by Rancimat method, antioxidant activity by TBA (2-thiobarbituric acid) method and DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity for the ground samples or methanol extracts were the greatest in V. angustifolia, although were less than those of commonly used antioxidants, BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) and ascorbic acid. These results suggest that the wild plant species had potent allelopathic and antioxidant activities, and that their activities differed depending on plant species.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
• /
• v.41 no.1
• /
• pp.47-55
• /
• 2021

The objective of this study was to access the effect of climate and soil factors on alfalfa dry matter yield (DMY) by the contribution through constructing the yield prediction model in a general linear model considering climate and soil physical variables. The processes of constructing the yield prediction model for alfalfa was performed in sequence of data collection of alfalfa yield, meteorological and soil, preparation, statistical analysis, and model construction. The alfalfa yield prediction model used a multiple regression analysis to select the climate variables which are quantitative data and a general linear model considering the selected climate variables and soil physical variables which are qualitative data. As a result, the growth degree days(GDD) and growing days(GD), and the clay content(CC) were selected as the climate and soil physical variables that affect alfalfa DMY, respectively. The contributions of climate and soil factors affecting alfalfa DMY were 32% (GDD, 21%, GD 11%) and 63%, respectively. Therefore, this study indicates that the soil factor more contributes to alfalfa DMY than climate factor. However, for examming the correct contribution, the factors such as other climate and soil factors, and the cultivation technology factors which were not treated in this study should be considered as a factor in the model for future study.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.262-268
• /
• 2014

In order to reveal the aluminum (Al) stress tolerance mechanisms in alfalfa plant at low pH soil, a proteomic approach has been conducted. Alfalfa plants were exposed to Al stress for 5 days. The plant growth and total chlorophyll content are greatly affected by Al stress. The malondialdehyde (MDA) and $H_2O_2$ contents were increased in a low amount but free proline and soluble sugar contents, and the DPPH-radical scavenging activity were highly increased. These results indicate that antioxidant activity (DPPH activity) and osmoprotectants (proline and sugar) may involve in ROS ($H_2O_2$) homeostasis under Al stress. In proteomic analysis, over 500 protein spots were detected by 2-dimentional gel electrophoresis analysis. Total 17 Al stress-induced proteins were identified, of which 8 protein spots were up-regulated and 9 were down-regulated. The differential expression patterns of protein spots were selected and analyzed by the peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF) using MALDI-TOF MS analysis. Three protein spots corresponding to Rubisco were significantly down-regulated whereas peroxiredoxin and glutamine synthetase were up-regulated in response to Al stress. The different regulation patterns of identified proteins were involved in energy metabolism and antioxidant / ROS detoxification during Al stress in alfalfa. Taken together, these results provide new insight to understand the molecular mechanisms of alfalfa plant in terms of Al stress tolerance.