Allelopathic Effects of Some Fruit Plant Species with Weeds

Abstract

Aqueous extracts of seven fruit plant species viz., banana (Musa paradisiaca), Indian gooseberry (Phyllanthus emblica), jack fruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), guava (Psidium guajava), mango (Mangifera indica), litchi (Litchi chinensis), wood apple ((Aegle marmelos) were tested for germination, radical and plumule growth of barnyard grass and green amaranth. The lowest germination percentage (9.5 and 14.4%), plumule (3.94 and 0.92 cm) and radicle length (0.825 and 0.495 cm) of barnyard grass and green amaranth seedlings were obtained in seed treated with wood apple aqueous extract due to presence of some toxic compounds or other inhibitory materials in the species. One of these plant extract which performed the best i.e. wood apple leaves extract has the potential for use as an alternative crop as a herbicide (protectants) against barnyard grass and green amaranth weed species.