Allelopathic effects of invasive plants (Lantana camara and Broussonetia papyrifera) extracts: implications for agriculture and environmental management
Allelopathic effects of invasive plants (Lantana camara and Broussonetia papyrifera) extracts: implications for agriculture and environmental management
- Author(s) H. Qureshi, T. Anwar, S. Fatima, M. Shirani, S. Riaz and Z. Liaquat
- Year: 2024
- Month: March
- Volume: 61
- Pages: 175-188
We investigated the allelopathic effects of methanol and chloroform extracts from two invasive plant species, (Lantana camara and Broussonetia papyrifera), on radish seed germination and lettuce seedling development. The experiments employed radish seed germination assays, seedling growth measurements and the sandwich technique to evaluate the phytotoxicity of the extracts. The results revealed a concentration-dependent inhibitory impact on radish seed germination, with L. camara methanol extract exhibiting the highest suppression (72.85 ± 2.69 %) at 10,000 ppm. Comparative analyses between L. camara and B. papyrifera extracts demonstrated variations in their effects on root and hypocotyl development. Furthermore, the study explored the impact of these extracts on the germination index of radish seeds, indicating a progressive decline in seed germination rates with increasing extract concentrations. B. papyrifera methanol extract at 10,000 ppm showed the highest germination inhibition (60.48 ± 1.77 %). The sandwich technique, applied to lettuce seedlings, highlighted significant root and hypocotyl inhibition with increasing concentrations of L. camara and B. papyrifera extracts. Phytochemical analyses identified various compounds, including alkaloids, tannins, glycosides, flavonoids and phenols in both methanol and chloroform extracts. The presence of these compounds, especially phenolic chemicals, alkaloids and saponins is implicated in the observed phytotoxic effects. The study concludes that extracts from these invasive plants possess potent allelopathic properties, with implications for agricultural and environmental management. The findings emphasize the importance of understanding allelopathic interactions in developing sustainable strategies for crop protection and invasive species control.
