Influence of Plant Extracts on Germination and Growth of Eight Forage Species*

Seeds of four legumes and four grasses were germinated in the presence of aqueous extracts of the same species, using distilled water as a check. Measurements were taken to determine the effect of the extracts on germination, root growth and shoot growth. Based on the number of significant reactions to the extracts, the species may be classified in the following order of decreasing inhibition: alfalfa, birdsfoot trefoil, Ladino clover, red clover, reed canary grass, brome grass, timothy and orchard grass. Conversely, alfalfa and timothy were the species least affected by the extracts while reed canary grass was the most susceptible. Other species were in an intermediate range. With the exception of alfalfa, extracts of aerial portions of the plants had greater inhibitory effects than root extracts.