DOI: 10.36347/sajb.2020.v08i04.001

Pages: 77-80

Allelopathy is the direct or indirect effect of one plant on another through release of substances in the environment and occurs widely in natural plant communities. The secondary metabolites or natural products involved in allelopathy are called allelochemicals and can be produced in different parts of the plants. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the allelopathic activity of medicinal plant weed Euphorbia parviflora L on Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) crop. Laboratory bioassay was conducted and biochemical parameters were determined. The root, stem and leaf leachates inhibited the germination percentage and seedling growth of wheat. The allelopathic effect varied in each of the tests and this depends upon type of plant material used for bioassay. All the types of leachates suppress the growth of radicle significantly. The effect on seed germination was more pronounced in leachates of root and stem while there was little effect by leaf leachates. The germination was considerably inhibited as well as delayed by the root and stem leachates. However, the magnitude of inhibition of leachates followed the order stem > leaf > root. The plant was chemically analyzed for the presence and confirmation of Caffeic acid by HPTLC method. Preliminary phytochemical tests were carried out for the confirmation of some secondary metabolites in the plant parts. The inhibitory effects of Euphorbia parviflora L. on wheat may be due to the presence of Caffeic acid, Saponins and Tannins as allelochemicals in the leachates.