PHYTOTOXICITY OF DIFFERENT AQUEOUS EXTRACT CONCENTRATIONS OF MESQUITE (PROSOPIS JULIFLORA) ON GERMINATION AND SEEDLING GROWTH OF WHEAT
Rafaqat Hussain Shah1*, Mohammad Safdar Baloch1, Muhammad Zubair2, Ejaz Ahmad Khan1, Muhammad Ahmad3 and Ghulam Abbas4
1 Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan. 2 The Department of Forestry and Range Management, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan, 3Agrivcultural Training Institute, Karor Lal Eason, Layyah, Pakistan, 4Adaptive Research Farm, Karor Lal Eason, Layyah, Pakistan
ABSTRACT
The research trial was conducted under laboratory conditions at Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan in order to study phytotoxic effects of mesquite (Prosopis juliflora) aqueous extract taken from its leaves, stem and root on germination and seedling growth of wheat. There were five treatments viz. 100g, 200g, 300g, and 400g aqueous leaves, stem and root extract of mesquite including tap water as control. It was evident from the results that by using different concentrations of aqueous extract of mesquite, seed germination and seedling growth of wheat were inhibited. The maximum reduction in germination and seedling growth was noted by applying higher concentration (400g) of aqueous extracts of mesquite. Hence, it is concluded that seed germination and seedling growth of wheat is inhibited due to presence of water soluble allelochemicals in aqueous leaves, stem and root extracts of mesquite at 400 g for 72 hours. These allelochemicals have negative effects on growth and development of wheat. It is, therefore, recommended not to cultivate wheat crop near the mesquite.
