Melilotus alba Desr., a leguminous weed, grows as a competitor in wheat fields in the district of Shahjahanpur (U.P.). In order to ascertain whether allelopathy is, in any way responsible for the growth of wheat, an attempt was made to evaluate the allelopathic effects of roots and shoots of Melilotus alba. The different concentrations of root and shoot extracts of M. alba were tested on the seed germination and seedling establishment of wheat var. (RR 21). It was observed that the seed germination was more affected by the root extracts than shoot extracts and the seedling establishment was also inhibited by root extracts. In the present investigation, a decrease in the percentage of seed germination and seedling establishment was recorded with the increasing concentration of aqueous extracts.
M. alba, allelopathic effects, seed germination, seedling establishment
