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Pak. J. Bot., 46(5): 1693-1701, 2014. |
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Updated: 16-10-14 | ||||
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ROOT EXUDATES AND LEAF LEACHATES OF 19 MEDICINAL PLANTS OF PAKISTAN EXHIBIT ALLELOPATHIC POTENTIAL
SAIRAH SYED1*, MUHAMMAD IMRAN AL–HAQ2, ZAMMURAD IQBAL AHMED1, ABDUL RAZZAQ1 AND MUHAMMAD AKMAL3
Abstract: Laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate the allelopathic potential of root exudates and leaf leachates of 19 medicinal plants commonly used in Pakistan by plant box and sandwich methods, respectively. In sandwich method, lettuce seedlings were grown with the dry leaf leachates of the selected plant species in a growing media at the rate of 5, 10 and 50 mg dish-1 in a completely randomized design with three replications. Their effects on hypocotyl and radicle growth of the lettuce were recorded as a percentage of untreated control. Data was subjected for analysis of variance and treatment means were compared by Tukey’s HSD test at p<0.05. Results indicated that allelopathic effects of the leaf leachates of all selected plant species on the hypocotyl and radicle elongations of the lettuce varied significantly in all concentrations used in experiments. The hypocotyl growth of the lettuce seedlings was affected from promotion (−6.71% inhibition) caused by Phlaris minor to inhibition (78.40%) by Withania somnifera. Both species suppressed the radicle length from 33.69–93.30%. Leachates of W. somnifera and Sarcococca saligna exhibited strong inhibitory results in a concentration dependant manner. After the growth period of 50 days, root exudates of S. saligna appeared most detrimental (78.00% inhibition) to radicle growth of the lettuce seedling followed by W. somnifera (75.00%) when tested by plant box method. The results presented can be utilized as benchmark information for further joint research on the elucidation of chemicals involved in the allelopathy in nature and in the development of new and potent bioherbicides to combat environmental risk.
Key words: Allelopathy, Medicinal plants, Laboratory screening, Plant box method, Sandwich method, Weed control.
1Department of Agronomy, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi–46300, Pakistan 2Department of Biological & Environmental Engineering, Graduate School of Agricultural & Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Japan 113–8657. 3Department of Soil Science, PMAS Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi–46300, Pakistan *Corresponding author’s email: sairah_shah828@yahoo.com |
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