Allelopathic potential of leguminous plant species towards Parthenium hysterophorus L. (1)-effect of aqueous foliar leachates
Abstract
Present investigation. was undertaken to identify the local leguminous species allelopathic towards Parlhenium. Fourteen species tested included three crops: Cicer arietinum cv. C-235, Trifolium alexandrinum cv. Mescavi and Trigonella foenum graecum cv. Kasuri, nine tree species: Acacia nilotica, Albizzia procera, Bauhenia variegata, Delonix regia, Moringa indica, Parkinsonia aculeata, Pithecellobium dulce, Prosopis cineraria and Tamarindus indica, remaining two wild bushes: Cassia occidentalis and Tephrosia purpurea. 100% aqueous leachates of all the test species except P. dulce decreased the seed germination and Vigour Index of the seedling significantly. Allelopathic influence was more pronounced in regard to the leachates of D. regia (−83.01 and -87.06%), C. occidentalis (−75.77 and -78.22%), A. procera (−67.24 and -85.22%), T. purpurea (−53.20 and -66.63%), and M. indica (−47.44 and -60.09%). Thus, even crude aqueous foliar leachates of these species can be gainfully exploited as cost effective, ecofriendly, biodegradable arid renewable weedicides for management of Parlhenium hysterophorus L. -the most feared weed species.
