National Research Centre for Weed Science, Maharajpur, Jabalpur - 482 004, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Allelopathy Journal 15: 275–284, (2005).
It was concluded that leachates from root, stem and leaves of Physalis minima inhibited seed germination of Parthenium. These leachates also inhibited photosynthesis and reduced chlorophyll and protein content of target weed Parthenium resulting into the death. Thus, the leachates of Physalis minima have considerable herbicidal potential against the obnoxious weed Parthenium. Unlike other allelopathic studies, where the leaf leachates were most toxic to test plants (2,5,9), P. minima root leachates were found most toxic to germination and growth of Parthenium. It was therefore expected, that its root exudates may also be toxic to Parthenium, inhibiting the germination and growth by the negative allelopathic influences in natural habitats of co-existence. Further investigations on the identification, characterization and mode of action of allelochemicals present in the root of P. minima would be required to formulate further strategy for their successful exploitation as bioherbicides and other biocontrol measures of Parthenium in the natural habitats.
