Evaluation of in vitro shoots of Artemisia judaica for allelopathic potential

Abstract

Allelopathic performance of in vitro fresh green shoot, green, and brown shoot extracts including dry shoot powders of Artemisia judaica was evaluated through bioassay-guided studies using lettuce under laboratory conditions. The dry powders caused strong germination and growth inhibition of the lettuce seed tested. The green and brown shoot crude extracts of A. judaica also produced a strong germination and growth inhibition. The magnitude of inhibition in experiments with the brown shoot extracts was higher than that with the green shoot extracts. The lettuce seed incubated together with the fresh green shoots showed that the growth of lettuce was stimulated, while the germination of seed was delayed. The results show that there are different allelochemicals present in the exudates and volatiles of A. judaica. The shoot extracts under assay conditions showed a dose-dependent free radical scavenging effect of DPHH and a dose-dependent reduction of chlorophyll content from lettuce leaves. The antioxidant potential and total chlorophyll content of the lettuce leaf declined in all the shoot extract treatments. These results clearly indicate that the in vitro shoot of A. judaica contains some strong biologically active allelochemicals that are involved in plant growth regulation.