Evaluation of the Allelopathic Potential of Some Weeds on Germination Characteristics and Photosynthetic Pigments of Cress Seedlings (Lepidium sativum)

Interference includes competition for environmental potentials and allelopathy. By releasing chemical compounds, usually of secondary metabolites, in various ways such as root exudation, decomposition, leaching and volatilization, allelopathic weeds may have positive, negative or even neutral effects on crops. Therefore, the purpose of this experiment was to evaluate the hetrotoxic potential of Sorghum halepense, Portulaca oleracea and Centurea depressa in characteristics of germination, chlorophyll content and carotenoid pigments of cress under laboratory conditions.

For bioassay experiments, various concentrations of 0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100% of the weeds such as S. halepense, P. oleracea and C. depressa were prepared with the help of distilled water and were subsequently separately applied on 50 certified seeds of cress. In this experiment, characteristics such as rate and germination percentage, content of chlorophyll a, b, total chlorophyll content and carotenoids were measured based on the chilled acetone method.

Regression model showed that rate and germination percentage of cress significantly decreased at concentrations higher than 80% of S.halepense only. For every unit increase in the concentration, radicle length, seed vigor, content of total chlorophyll and carotenoids of cress decreased about 0.08 cm, 8.68, 0.007 mg/g and 0.007 mg/g, respectively. According to the results, there was an exponential relationship between different concentrations of the P. leracea extract with germination characteristics and photosynthesis pigments of cress so that in most cases, these characteristics up to concentration of 40% had moderate decline, but beyond this concentration, they showed a steep decline. In case of C. depressa, rate and germination percentage, as well as the shoot length of cress decreased about 14.67, 14.67 and 29.81% respectively, using only a concentration of 100%. However, radicle length and seed vigor of cress decreased with increased concentrations of aqueous extract of C. depressa. The most reductive effects were obtained in the treatment of 100%, which were about 52.38 and 55.44% respectively. Amount of total chlorophyll of cress decreased about 14.37, 27.59 and 25.29% respectively in concentrations of 60, 80 and 100% of C. depressa extract, as compared with the control. On the other hand, concentrations of 20 and 40% of C. depressa had no significant effect on the pigment studied. The result of carotenoids content was the same as total chlorophyll.

Based on the results, the weeds studied, especially P. oleracea, with high concentrations, had strong hetrotoxic effect on germination characteristics and photosynthesis pigments. This requires further investigation in a natural environment where targeted plants grow in close proximity.

Hetrotoxic compounds of Portulaca oleracea, especially in high concentrations significantly decrease seed germination and photosynthetic pigments of cress as compared with Sorghum halepense and Centurea depressa. Given the evidence for the hetrotoxic effect of aqueous extract of the weeds studied, they could be introduced as candidates for production of bio-herbicides.