Exposure to Cattle Slurry of Different Concentrations Influence Germination and Initial Growth of Selected Grass and Legume Species

Anastazija Gselman (), Vilma Sem and Silva Grobelnik Mlakar
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Anastazija Gselman: Department of Grassland and Fodder Production, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Maribor, Pivola 10, 2311 Hoče, Slovenia
Vilma Sem: Department of Mathematical Methods, Informatics and Statistics in Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Maribor, Pivola 10, 2311 Hoče, Slovenia
Silva Grobelnik Mlakar: Department of Organic Agriculture, Crops, Vegetables and Ornamentals, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Maribor, Pivola 10, 2311 Hoče, Slovenia

Agriculture, 2023, vol. 13, issue 10, 1-11

Abstract: In addition to improving soil quality, the fertilisation of grassland with cattle slurry is often associated with seed dispersal. Most studies focus on the effects of cattle slurry on the germination and early development of weed species, but less is known about how slurry affects the germination process of grasses and forage legumes. The aim of Experiment I of our study was therefore to investigate the influence of soaking time in cattle slurry of different concentrations on Lolium multiflorum , Dactylis glomerata , Trifolium pratense and Trifolium repens . Seeds were soaked in undiluted (100%) and diluted cattle slurries (50% and 25%) for 14, 28, 42, 56, 70 and 84 days. Experiment II was conducted to study the initial growth of studied plants from seeds soaked in cattle slurry of different concentrations for 14 days. After the germination test, which was carried out under controlled conditions, the germination index (GI) was calculated. The results (Experiment I) show that a short soaking in cattle slurry (14 days) has no negative effect on the germination process for all species. However, a longer soaking resulted in significantly reduced and delayed germination, especially in undiluted slurry for grasses and diluted slurries for clovers. The slurry concentration (Experiment II) only influenced the root growth of L. multiflorum . Seedlings grown from seeds soaked in undiluted slurry had a 17% higher relative root length than the control and developed significantly longer root systems than the other two slurry concentrations.

Keywords: cattle slurry; soaking time; seed germination; initial plant growth; Lollium multiflorum; Dactylis glomerata; Trifolium pratense; Trifolium repens (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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