The potential of plant allelochemicals to control Parthenium hysterophorus L. weed
The potential of plant allelochemicals to control Parthenium hysterophorus L. weed
- Author(s) Jai Knox Vijay Hile and Mayank Varun
- Year: 2025
- Month: July
- Volume: 65
- Pages: 191-208
A phytosociological study was conducted for three years (2021 to 2024) in Mumbai region. Four sites were selected which were heavily infested with Parthenium hysterophorus L. (test weed). Along with Parthenium, some other weeds were cohabiting like Calotropis procera, (Aiton) W.T. Aiton, Withania somnifera, (L.) Dunal, Cassia occidentalis L., Tephrosia purpurea L. and Solanum xanthocarpum Schrad and Wendl. Results revealed that Cassia occidentalis was dominant over all other weeds including test weed, at three sites out of four selected sites. The relative frequency, relative density, relative dominance, and importance value index of Cassia occidentalis was found to be maximum i.e. 30.30, 53.04, 40.78 and 124.12 at site III followed by sites IV and I. To confirm this field observation, an in-vitro study was also conducted to observe the allelopathic potential of Cassia occidentalis on Parthenium hysterophorus. Efficacy of shoot and root aqueous leachates of 100 % concentration of 3rd and 9th day of C. procera, W. somnifera, C. occidentalis, T. purpurea and S. xanthocarpum were assessed on P. hysterophorus weed. Significant inhibition (P> 0.05) was observed at 100 % concentration of 9th-day shoot aqueous leachates of C. occidentalis on Parthenium weed over control followed by root aqueous leachates. Significant inhibition on Parthenium seedlings was also found to be maximum by Cassia occidentalis. Thus, the allelopathic potential of Cassia occidentalis as biological agents can be used to control Parthenium weeds population.
