Allelopathic Potential of Aqueous Leaf Extract and Leaf Litter of Melia dubia Cav. on Tomato and Okra

The leaf aqueous extract and leaf litter of M. dubia inhibited the germination traits (germination per cent, mean daily germination, peak value, germination value and germination rate index), initial growth and biomass of both the test species. The allelochemicals present in leaf litter might have inhibited the germination, initial growth and biomass of test crops in laboratory and pot culture bioassays. However, the results of the pot experiment carried out till crop maturity, showed that final growth, biomass and fruit yield was not affected due to leaf litter. The allelochemicals might have diluted through cultural practices or ephemeral nature of allelochemicals and hence, there was no allelopathic effect of leaf litter of M. dubia on later growth, biomass and yield of tomato and okra.