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INFLUENCE OF LEAF EXTRACT OF NETTLE LEAF GOOSEFOOT (CHENOPODIUM MURALE L.) AND NACL SALINITY ON GERMINATION AND SEEDLING GROWTH OF RICE (ORYZA SATIVA L.)

S.M. ALAM AND A.H. SHAIKH

Abstract: Aqueous leaf extract of nettle leaf goosefoot (Chenopodium murale L.) was evaluated alone or in combination with NaCl salinity for its influence on germination and seedling growth of rice. The leaf extract and NaCl alone or in combination did not have any significant effect on germination, but the shoot and root lengths decreased significantly by the treatments compared to control. Root growth was affected more than the shoot. The combination of leaf extract and NaCl drastically reduced the shoot and root growth more than the separate effects of these stress treatments. The results suggest that the leaf extract of Chenopodium murale may release some toxic phenolic allelochemicals which deleteriously affected the seedling growth of rice plant.

Department of Botany, Federal Urdu University of Arts Science & Technology, Gulshan-e-Iqbal Campus, Karachi, Pakistan.