Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Avenida João Naves de Ávila, 2121, Uberlândia -MG, 38.408–100, Brazil. E. Mail: eanascimento@ufu.br.
*Correspondence author.
The allelopathic effects of methanol extracts from stems and roots of Cenchrus echinatus L. were evaluated in greenhouse and laboratory assays, on seed germination and root and shoot growth of Panicum maximum Jacq., Amaranthus hypochondriacus L., Physalis ixocarpa Brot., Trifolium alexandrinum L. and Lolium perenne L.. Both root and shoot extracts of Cenchrus echinatus L. inhibited or stimulated the germination and seedling growth, depending on the extracts concentrations and the test species. Stem extracts were less inhibitory on the test species than root ones. Dichloromethane and ethyl acetate:methanol (1:1) fractions obtained from the methanol root extract caused 100% inhibition in seed germination and seedling growth of P. maximum. Volatile constituents of the dichloromethane fraction were mainly fatty acids and their esters [viz., palmitic (33.96%), oleic (8.32%), and stearic (6.42%) acids, and methyl linolelaidate (7.26%)]. Further investigation is needed to identify all constituents of the methanol extract.
Allelochemicals, allelopathy, Cenchrus echinatus L., germination, methanol extract, Panicum maximum Jacq., Physalis ixocarpa Brot., root and shoot growth, Trifolium alexandrinum L
