Overview of autotoxicity in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.): Identifying gaps between laboratory findings and demonstration at field scale

Abstract Autotoxicity is a type of intraspecific allelopathy in which compounds released by a plant inhibit the growth of other plants of the same species. In alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), an herbaceous perennial legume widely used in hay and pasture production, autotoxicity is associated with re‐es...

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Main Authors: Paige Baisley, Kimberly A. Cassida
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-06-01
Series:Grassland Research
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/glr2.70012
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author Paige Baisley
Kimberly A. Cassida
author_facet Paige Baisley
Kimberly A. Cassida
author_sort Paige Baisley
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Autotoxicity is a type of intraspecific allelopathy in which compounds released by a plant inhibit the growth of other plants of the same species. In alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), an herbaceous perennial legume widely used in hay and pasture production, autotoxicity is associated with re‐establishment failure, reduced yields, and decreased persistence. Several compounds in the phenolic and saponin groups are suspected to contribute to alfalfa autotoxicity, but the exact compounds, ratio of compounds, and concentration of compounds necessary for autotoxicity are not fully defined. Symptoms of autotoxicity, including decreased germination and inhibited root elongation, are consistently observed in laboratory bioassays, but evidence to consistently implicate autotoxicity in poor alfalfa growth at field scale is lacking. This review article presents three criteria that address the production and accumulation of autotoxic compounds in alfalfa and distinguish symptoms of autotoxicity from other inhibitory factors in the field. These criteria provide a useful framework to highlight both competencies and gaps in our current understanding of alfalfa autotoxicity.
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spelling doaj-art-9900d3c882264515b6ebf69fe7032af72025-08-20T03:14:58ZengWileyGrassland Research2097-051X2770-17432025-06-014215116010.1002/glr2.70012Overview of autotoxicity in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.): Identifying gaps between laboratory findings and demonstration at field scalePaige Baisley0Kimberly A. Cassida1Department of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences Michigan State University East Lansing Michigan USADepartment of Plant, Soil, and Microbial Sciences Michigan State University East Lansing Michigan USAAbstract Autotoxicity is a type of intraspecific allelopathy in which compounds released by a plant inhibit the growth of other plants of the same species. In alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), an herbaceous perennial legume widely used in hay and pasture production, autotoxicity is associated with re‐establishment failure, reduced yields, and decreased persistence. Several compounds in the phenolic and saponin groups are suspected to contribute to alfalfa autotoxicity, but the exact compounds, ratio of compounds, and concentration of compounds necessary for autotoxicity are not fully defined. Symptoms of autotoxicity, including decreased germination and inhibited root elongation, are consistently observed in laboratory bioassays, but evidence to consistently implicate autotoxicity in poor alfalfa growth at field scale is lacking. This review article presents three criteria that address the production and accumulation of autotoxic compounds in alfalfa and distinguish symptoms of autotoxicity from other inhibitory factors in the field. These criteria provide a useful framework to highlight both competencies and gaps in our current understanding of alfalfa autotoxicity.https://doi.org/10.1002/glr2.70012alfalfaallelopathyautotoxicity
spellingShingle Paige Baisley
Kimberly A. Cassida
Overview of autotoxicity in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.): Identifying gaps between laboratory findings and demonstration at field scale
Grassland Research
alfalfa
allelopathy
autotoxicity
title Overview of autotoxicity in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.): Identifying gaps between laboratory findings and demonstration at field scale
title_full Overview of autotoxicity in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.): Identifying gaps between laboratory findings and demonstration at field scale
title_fullStr Overview of autotoxicity in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.): Identifying gaps between laboratory findings and demonstration at field scale
title_full_unstemmed Overview of autotoxicity in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.): Identifying gaps between laboratory findings and demonstration at field scale
title_short Overview of autotoxicity in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.): Identifying gaps between laboratory findings and demonstration at field scale
title_sort overview of autotoxicity in alfalfa medicago sativa l identifying gaps between laboratory findings and demonstration at field scale
topic alfalfa
allelopathy
autotoxicity
url https://doi.org/10.1002/glr2.70012
work_keys_str_mv AT paigebaisley overviewofautotoxicityinalfalfamedicagosativalidentifyinggapsbetweenlaboratoryfindingsanddemonstrationatfieldscale
AT kimberlyacassida overviewofautotoxicityinalfalfamedicagosativalidentifyinggapsbetweenlaboratoryfindingsanddemonstrationatfieldscale