Water extracts of lucerne (M. sativa) roots and leaves at 1/10, 1/20 and 1/40 dilutions inhibited the seed germination of Russian Knapweed (A. repens) by 25–45% and killed 9.1–71.2% of the germinated seedlings of the weed. The same dilutions of the extracts inhibited the sprouting of the root buds by 27.02–59.45% and killed 57.5–92.5% of the sprouted weeds. When applied to a potting mixture of perlite, sand and soil (1: 1:2; v/v/v), the extracts reduced the germination of the weeds by 45.16–83.87% and killed 71.43–100% of the germinated seedlings. Seedling death was not observed in the control treatments. The extracts inhibited the sprouting of the root buds by 78.78–97.33% and killed 67.8–100% of the sprouted roots. Ground lucerne added to the potting mixture at 2.4: 100 (w/w) did not affect the germination of seeds, although 71.1% of the seedlings died when they reached an average height of 9.8 cm. The plant material completely inhibited the sprouting of Russian Knapweed roots with 2 buds, although roots with 3 buds sprouted from the apical bud. All the emerged seedlings died when they reached 8.7 cm height.
