Frost Heaving in Alfalfa Establishment on Soils with different Drainage Characteristics¹

Abstract

The susceptibility of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) to frost heaving is a major problem in stand establishment in southern Illinois. This study was conducted at Carbondale, Illinois, to determine the effects of frost heaving on the establishment and production of alfalfa cultivars in relation to soil drainage characteristics. Four alfalfa cultivars (‘Cody’, ‘Spredor’, ‘Weevlchek’, and ‘WL‐307’) were seeded on three soil series, a deep well‐drained AIford (Typic Hapluadalf, fine‐silty mixed mesic), a moderately well‐drained Hosmer (Typic Fragiudalf, fine‐silty, mixed, mesic) with a fragipan starting at a depth of 60 to 70 cm, and a nearly level poorly‐drained Weir (Typic Ochraqualf, fine, montmorillonitic, mesic). Piezometers were installed in each soil to monitor the presence of perched water tables and their position to the soil surface. Small wooden dowels were used to assess soil movement in relation to alfalfa seedling heave. The higher amount of heaving as measured by the distance wooden dowels were raised above a reference point occurred when the night temperature was a few degrees below freezing and the day temperature was above freezing, with a perched water table near the soil surface. Poorly‐drained, Weir soil had the highest perched water table, most alfalfa seedling heave, greatest alfalfa seedling winterkill, and most dowel heave. In contrast, well‐drained Alford series had no perched water table, no appreciable seedling heave or winterkill, and least dowel heave. No significant differences in amount of frost heaving of seedlings were noted amonga alfalfa cultivars on any drainage site. Highest dry matter yields were obtained on the well‐drained Alford site; significant yield reductions occurred as soil drainage class became more poorly drained. Alfalfa stands were successfully established on the well‐drained Alford series and the moderately well‐drained Hosmer series. Soil drainage characteristics did influence alfalfa establishment and production in the climatic transitional zone of the central U. S. Poorly‐drained soils should not be considered for alfalfa production.

Frost heaving of forest tree seedlings: a review

“…Damage was particularly severe on much soils and sandy loams, while it was less marked on clay loam. Russell et al (1978) observed that soil moisture had a major influence on number and extent of alfalfa seedlings heaved. Plants heaved most when the perched water table was at or near the soil surface.…”

“…x Biswell et al 1953MacGillivray and Hartley 1973Soderstriim 1973 x Low 1969, 1975Shaw et al 1987Zalasky 1980I Graber 197 1 Sutton 1968, 1991, 1992Haasis 1923Shimada et al 1982cox 1979Gill 1977Kinbacher 1956Cox and Mason 1955Biswell et al 1953Lamb 1936 Factors Factors affecting forest heaving of forest tree species and agricultural crops Haasis 1923Brink et al 1967Russell et al 1978Sutton 1969, 1992Cooper 1940Perfect et al 1987Shimada et al 1982;Portz 1967Gill 1977 Hook. and Am.)…”

“…and Am.) and wedgeleaf ceanothus ( Woods et al 1978Woods et al , 1979 x Ledgard 1976Haasis 1923Holmes and Robertson 1960Gradwell 1960 ladino clover (Trifolium Decker and Ronningen 1957 Noble andAlexander 1977 Schubert 1970;Larson 1960Biswell et al 1953Wright 1944 alfalfa (Medicago sariru L.) Perfect et al 1987;Shimada et al 1982;Russell et al 1978 hardinggrass ( Kinbacher 1956Lamb 1936 placed between the plots consisting of three seed rows sown across the width of the seedbed. The following spring a slight frost heaving of seedlings in the center rows of the plots was observed.…”

Winter damage to perennial forage crops in eastern Canada: Causes, mitigation, and prediction

“…Physical damage to the roots can also be caused by soil heaving, primarily in imperfectly drained soils exposed to frequent freeze-thaw cycles (Holmes and Robertson 1960;Russell et al 1978). Significant losses of alfalfa stands due to frost heaving frequently occur in the Atlantic provinces of Canada (Grant and Saini 1973) and in the southern areas of Québec (Pesant et al 1978).…”

Low-Temperature Stress in Field and Forage Crop Production – An Overview

“…nonequilibrium manner (Olien 1964) (Lamb 1967) and legume forages (Russell et al 1978 (Tesar and Yager 1985). Other workers (Schaeffer et al 1986) …”