Allelopathic Effect of Anogeissus pendula Edgew. and Grewia flavescens A. Juss on Desmodium Species in Alwar district of Rajasthan

The effect of leaf leachates of Anogeissus spendula Edgew. and Grewia flavescens A. Juss was evaluated on growth of the three species of Desmodium in Alwar district of Rajasthan (27° 4′ to 28° 4′N and 76° 7′ to 77° 13′E). Anogeissus pendula reduced the percent seed germination of D. repandum from 85 in control to 43 at 2% concentration, D. gangeticum from 80 in control to 50 at 6% concentration and D. triflorum from 78 in control to 28 at 0.1% concentration of leaf leachates. However, the leaf leachates of Grewia flavescens had similar effect on the former, whereas, it has more adverse effect on the seed germination of later two species. The leaf leachates of both the species also reduced the elongation of radicle and plumule of three Desmodium species; however, the adverse effect of leaf leachates of Grewia flavescens was more severe than that of the other species.Among the three Desmodium species, the allelopathic effect of Grewia flavescens and Anogeissus pendula was more severe on Desmodium triflorum as compared to the other two species. Thus it may be suggested that the population of three species of Desmodium is partly regulated by the allelopathic effect of Anogeissus pendula and Grewia flavescens in this tropical dry deciduous forest.