Evaluation for performance of maize and rice on aqueous leaf extracts of Flemingia semialata Roxb.-underutilized legumes in Mizoram, India

The allelopathic potential of aqueous leaf extracts of Flemingia semialata Roxb. a leguminous herbs was used to examined its effect on growth and yield of Zea mays L. and Oryza sativa L. at different concentrations in laboratory bioassays. The extracts show both inhibitory and stimulatory effect on the test crops. Significant stimulatory effects were observed in 50 and 75 per cent concentration for root length and 25 per cent for shoot length in maize. Stimulatory effect on the root length of rice were observed at lower concentrations, however inhibitory effect were observed on the shoot length whereby the inhibitory effect increases with increase in the concentration of extracts. The inhibitory effect on biomass yield was observed at lower concentration in maize but inhibitory effect was more pronounced in rice at higher concentrations. Aqueous leaf extract of Flemingia semialata Roxb. performed better in maize than in rice.