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Developing A Simple Bioassay For Detection Of Alfalfa Autotoxicity In Field Soils, P. Baisley, K. Cassida, S. Gruss, E. Hill

IGC Proceedings (1997-2023)

Alfalfa autotoxicity causes yield reductions in alfalfa production by inhibiting plant establishment and decreasing plant productivity. Accurate predictions regarding autotoxic potential of the soil in a given field at a given time are an essential tool for alfalfa growers to make appropriate planting decisions. To address this issue, we are developing a soil bioassay that can be conducted as a mail-in soil test for alfalfa growers through plant diagnostic service laboratories. We hypothesize that we will detect differences in seed germination, emergence, root length, and root morphology between control and autotoxic soils. A preliminary trial testing alfalfa field soils and …