The Allelopathic Effects of Aqueous Extracts and Foliage Powder of Rye on Germination Indices and Seedling Growth of Three Canola Cultivars

In order to study the effects of aqueous extracts and shoot powder of rye (Secale Cereal L.) on germination indices and seedling growth of three canola cultivars, two factorial experiments in a completely randomized design with three replications were conducted at a laboratory and a green house in 2009. In the first experiment, the factors included three cultivars of canola (Okapy, Zarfam and Modena) and five levels of aqueous extracts (control, 25,50,75 and 100%) obtained from shoot of rye. The second experiment factors included three cultivars of canola mentioned above and five levels of shoot powder (control, 0.5, 0.75,1 and 1.25% of soil pots). The results of both experiments showed that cultivar, aqueous extracts and shoot powder had significant effects on all variables. The highest percentage, germination rate, hypocotyls and epicotyls length and seed vigor were obtained at control treatment (distilled water) and all indices were increased by increasing aqueous extracts concentration. Moreover, the highest number of leaf, leaf area, root and shoot length and fresh and drought weight of seedling were obtained in control treatment (soil with no shoot powder). All traits were decreased by increasing shoot powder percentage in soil pots. Modena cultivar had the highest and Zarfam had the lowest resistance to allelopathic effects of aqueous extracts and shoot powder of rye.