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Ethylene Production in Soil Containing Quackgrass Rhizomes and Other Plant Materials¹

ABSTRACT

Ethylene was generated in the presence of quackgrass rhizomes [Agropyrou repens (L.) Beauv.] resulting in concentrations as high as 6.4 µliter/liter when rhizomes were incubated in sealed vials and 14.3 µliters/liter in waterlogged soil. These levels exceeded those previously shown to inhibit growth of crop plants. Reduced ethylene production following sterilization of rhizomes and soil demonstrated that microorganisms were actually responsible. Ethylene was also generated in the presence of other plant materials and by field soil alone. Fresh and dried quackgrass rhizomes were equally effective in producing ethylene. Significant concentrations of ethylene were not observed under aerobic soil conditions in the field. Ethylene production from quackgrass tissue as a result of microbial activity in the soil may be partially responsible for alleged allelopathic effects of the weed, but would probably only occur when soils are excessively wet or if physical soil properties produced anaerobic conditions.

¹ Contribution from the Dept. of Agronomy, Coll. of Agric. and Life Sci., Univ. of Wis., Madison, WI 53706.

² Associate Professor, Dept. of Agron., Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison, and County Agric. Ext. Specialist, Univ. of Neb. Extension Service, Imperial, NB 69033, respectively.

Received for publication March 13, 1978. Accepted for publication May 3, 1978.