Allelopathic effect of aqueous extract of Polygonum bistorta and Terminalia chebula on germination and seedling growth of Daucus carota and Medicago polymorpha

Abstract

Weed management is essential for sustainable crop production in all cropping systems. The use of herbicides is causing the problems of herbicide resistant weeds and environmental pollution. Plant-released phytotoxins have ability to promote or inhibit the germination and seedling growth of surrounding crops and weeds. Therefore, it is imperative to identify plant species having the herbicidal potential to use as more safe and sustainable weed management approach. The present study was planned in 2018 to investigate the germination and seedling growth of Daucus carota and Medicago polymorpha influenced by the root extract of Polygonum bistorta and fruit extract of Terminalia chebula. Different concentrations of aqueous extract (0, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 40 and 80%) significantly reduced the germination and seedling growth of target species. Results of these experiments revealed that thefruit extract of T. chebula was more phytotoxic as compared to root extract of P. bistorta regarding seedling growth of weed. However, fruit extract of T. chebula having 80% concentration fully inhibit the germination of D. carota and M. polymorpha. One the bases of these finding it was concluded that the fruit extract of T. chebula and root extract of P. bistorta have comparatively more active substances with ability to suppress germination and growth of plants which could be exploited as prospective source of bio-herbicides.

Keywords

• Allelopathy
• Extract
• Germination
• Seedling growth and management