# Lotus corniculatus

**Birdsfoot trefoil**

**Fabaceae**

*Lotus corniculatus* (birdsfoot trefoil) is a perennial shrub introduced
from Eurasia, which exhibits both rhizomatous and non-rhizomatous
growth. An important forage legume, *L. corniculatus* can tolerate wide
ranges in soil pH (Kallenbach et al., 1996) and poor soil drainage. In a
comparison of six *Lotus* genotypes, *L. corniculatus* germinated under
the widest temperature and soil moisture regimes (Blumenthal et al.,
1996), with its base temperature for emergence at 3°C under the driest
conditions (-0.6 Mpa). Their results suggest that *L. corniculatus* may
germinate in late fall and winter in the field. Birdsfoot trefoil is
considered to have less vigor than other perennial forages, however
(Twamley et al., 1997).

Borowicz (1993) found that colonization by vesicular-arbuscular
mycorrhizal fungi is important for the growth of *L. corniculatus*. This
author also found that herbivory (simulated by clipping) does not have a
long-lasting effect on *L. corniculatus*, presumably because young
plants are able to compensate by reallocating resources efficiently. She
did find, however, that interspecific competition had persistent effects
on *L. corniculatus* (e.g., decreasing host plant investment in
Rhizobium). There appear to be no published data on total amounts of
nitrogen fixed by populations of birdsfoot trefoil, so ecosystem and
community effects of nitrogen fixation cannot be estimated. However, the
fact that birdsfoot trefoil is an important forage legume in Canada and
parts of the US supports the assumption that *L. corniculatus*, when
grown in dense stands as a crop, has the capacity to increase available
nitrogen in soil.

Rust (*Uromyces* sp.) was first reported in the US (in central
Pennsylvania) in the late 1980's (Leath et al., 1993). Its potential to
cause damage to *L. corniculatus* is not clear, however. In contrast, a
specific wilt pathogen (*Fusarium oxysporum*) of birdsfoot trefoil was
the principal cause of the demise of the certified birdsfoot trefoil
seed industry in New York state (Bergstrom and Kalb, 1995). These
authors found that none of the 14 cultivars of *L. corniculatus*
available commercially in North America possessed a level of resistance
adequate for performance in infested New York fields.

The herbicide imazethapyr has been shown to induce injury to *L.
corniculatus* at the rate of 70-140 g ha^-1^, 20 days after treatment
(Wilson, 1994). However, the herbicide was more effective at reducing
vigor in its competitors, resulting in much greater *L. corniculatus*
biomass in treated versus untreated plots only 28 days after treatment.

**Literature cited:**

Bergstrom, G. C., and D. W. Kalb. 1995. *Fusarium oxysporum* f. sp.
loti: a specific wilt pathogen of birdsfoot trefoil in New York.
Phytopathology 85:1555.

Blumenthal, M. J., S. C. Aston, and C. J. Pearson. 1996. Effect of
temperature and moisture potential on germination and emergence in Lotus
sp. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 47:1119-1130.

Borowicz, V. A. 1993. Effects of benomyl, clipping, and competition on
growth of prereproductive *Lotus corniculatus*. Canadian Journal of
Botany 71:1169-1175.

Kallenbach, R. L., R. L. McGraw, and P. R. Beuselinck. 1996. Soil pH
effects on growth and mineral concentration of birdsfoot trefoil.
Canadian Journal of Plant Science 76:263-267.

Leath, K. T., R. rodriguez, and B. W. Pennypacker. 1993. First report of
*Sphaerellopsis filum* colonizing rust of birdsfoot trefoil in the
United States. Plant Disease 77:100.

Twamley, B. E., D. T. Tomes, and S. R. Bowley. 1997. OAC Bright
birdsfoot trefoil. Canadian Journal of Plant Science 77:251-253.

Wilson, R. G. 1994. Effect of imazethapyr on legumes and the effect of
legumes on weeds. Weed Technology 8:536-540.