인삼재배지 180지점으로부터 토양을 채취하여 토양산도, 유기물함량 및 유효인산함량을 측정한 결과 재배년수별 유의한 차이는 나타나지 않았다. 채취한 토양의 메탄올추출액으로 상추종자 발아실험을 실시한 결과 5~6년 재배지의 토양에서 종자발아나 유묘생장을 강하게 억제하는 토양추출액을 선발하였다. 선발된 토양 추출액중 발아와 유묘생장을 억제하였던 추출액은 인삼배양세포의 활력을 최대 90%까지 억제하였으나 전해물질의 누출은 증가하지 않았다. 토양추출액으로 세가지 종류의 항산화 효소 활성을 측정한 결과 superoxide dismutase는 거의 영향을 받지 않았으나, 상추유묘의 생체중억제형 토양추출액을 처리한 인삼배양세포의 peroxidase의 활성이 현저하게 억제되었고, catalase의 활성은 발아억제형 및 생체중억제형 토양추출액 모두에서 유의한 억제를 보였다.
Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) plants have been reported to be autotoxic as well as allelopathic. Laboratory and greenhouse experiments through petri-dish and pot test were conducted to determine autotoxic effects of alfalfa leaf and soil extracts on the germination or early seedling growth of alfalfa, and to evaluate allelopathic effects of alfalfa leaf residues on alfalfa, barnyard grass, com, eclipta and soybean. Alfalfa seed germination was delayed depending on aqueous extract concentration, with no difference in final germination after 48 hours. Alfalfa root length was more sensitive to the autotoxic chemicals from leaf extracts than was germination or shoot length. Root growth of alfalfa was significantly inhibited at extract concentration of more than 1 g dry tissue/L (g ~textrmL-1 ). Hypocotyl growth, however, was not affected by all the concentrations of leaf extracts. Soil extracts from 4-yr-old alfalfa stand significantly reduced alfalfa root length by 66%, while soil extracts from 0,1, and 3yr-old stand stimulated root length up to 14-32% over the control. Residue incorporation with dry matters of alfalfa leaf at 100 g ~textrmkg-1 reduced seedling length of several crop and weed species, ranging from 53 to 87% inhibition. Addition of nutrient solution into alfalfa leaf extracts alleviated alfalfa autotoxic effect. This result indicates alfalfa leaf and soil extracts or residues could exert autotoxic as well as allelopathic substances into soil environments during and after establishment.