ALLELOPATHIC EFFECTS OF CHROMOLAENA AND LANTANA LEAF EXTRACT ON MUNG BEAN SEEDS

Author(s): Sourav Kundu*, Asis Kumar Nandi, Uttam Kumar Kanp and Aloke Bhattacharjee

Abstract: Among the natural or man guided agro-ecosystems, surrounding plants may interact with the growth and improvement of other species. The compounds (allelochemicals) connected in interspecific chemical interactions (allelopathy) with higher plants are often phytotoxic a herbicidal to other species or even to the species producing them (autotoxicity). The purpose of this investigation is to screen out the phototoxicity of the leaf extracts of Chromolaena odorata and Lantana camara on mung bean (Vigna radiate L. cv. K 851), measured in terms of seed germination, plant growth and some feasible biochemical indices. Modern study exhibition that seed pretreatment of mung bean with several concentrations [1:1 and 1:2 (w/v)] of Chromolaena and Lantana leaf extracts for 24 hours duration reduced percentage germination. Levels of DNA and RNA were significantly reduced with concomitant increase of amylase activity in seed samples pretreated with leaf extracts of Chromolaena and Lantana. Decreased plant potential in the plant extract-pretreated samples was evidenced from the lower level of chlorophyll, DNA and RNA as well as higher level of amylase activity. Leaf extract-induced reduced germinability and influenced activity of amylase enzyme being the important allelopathic indices, it can be concluded that Chromolaena and Lantana can potentially render allelopathic action on mung bean. Consequently, this study calls for the proper monitoring of Chromolaena and Lantana and other invasive weeds showing similar behaviour.

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