Allelopathic Effect of Vicia faba L. Extracts on Stimulating or Inhibiting the Seeds Germination and Seedling Growth of Lycopersicon esculentum Mill

Abstract

inhibitory effects of the aqueous extracts of Vicia faba on the seed germination and the growth of the Lycopersicon esculentum seedlings. The experiment was carried out at the research stations and laboratories of College of Agriculture, Tikrit University, and the Department of Examination and Certification of Seeds in Tikrit, Salah Aldeen, Iraq. In this study, different concentrations of the aqueous extracts of various parts of Vicia faba were tested in this study, namely (4, 8 and 12% root extracts; 4, 8 and 12% stem extracts; 4, 8 and 12 % leaf extracts) for determining their effects on the seed germination and the seedling growth of the Lycopersicon esculentum plant. Water was used as the control treatment. All parameters used in the experiments were randomly distributed based on the Completely Randomised Design (CRD). The results were the mean of 4 replicate experiments. The results indicated that the aqueous root extracts (4%) of Vicia faba showed a significant stimulatory effect on the different growth parameters like radicle length and the dry weight of the radicle of the Lycopersicon esculentum. The different aqueous extracts of the Vicia faba showed differing effects (either stimulatory or inhibitory) on the seedling growth. The mode of action was dependent on the extracts of the plant parts that were used. The results indicated that the different concentrations of aqueous extracts of various parts of Vicia faba showed an allelopathic effect.