Allelopathic interference of invasive Acacia dealbata: Physiological effects

The allelopathic potentials of throughfall (rain passing through the canopy) and macerate (apical branches mixed with distilled water) leachates of Acacia dealbata grove during the flowering were studied. The test plants were corn (Zea mays) and 4 plant spp. (Dicranum sp. Hedera hibernica, Leucobryum sp. and Dactylis glomerata) present both inside and outside the grove, while Leucobryum sp. and Dactylis glomerata were present only outside the grove. A. dealbata leachates showed allelopathic interference to test species. Although the germination of corn was inhibited by throughfall and macerate leachates, but the latter was more inhibitory. Besides, leachates also inhibited the photosynthesis of corn. The macerate leachates also stimulated the respiration of species located outside the A. dealbata grove. This suggested that A. dealbata can interact with native species through allelopathic interference and may be responsible for biodiversity loss in introduced ranges.