INT. J. BIOL. BIOTECH., 14 (1): 141-145, 2017.

PHYTOTOXIC POTENTIAL OF LAUNAEA PROCUMBENS (ROXB) RAMAYYA AND

RAJAGOPAL ON TWO TEST SPECIES

Muniza Riaz, Alia Abbas*, Iram us Salam and Adam Khan

Department of Botany, Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology (FUUAST) Gulshan Iqbal
Campus, Gulshan Iqbal (Karachi), Pakistan.
*Corresponding author E-mail: [email protected]

ABSTRACT

Phytotoxic potential of Launaea procumbens (Roxb) Ramayya and Rajagopal were studied on two test crops Brassica
rapa and Cucurbita maxima. In Petri plates experiment, it observed that germination percentage and speed of
germination of both species were highly suppressed by aqueous extract of root, leaves and whole plant of L.
procumbens. Similarly the radicle and plumule length of both species were also affected at varying degree while
Brassica rapa was more affected as compared to Cucurbita maxima. These results showed that Launaea procumbens
affected the growth of both test species.

Key words: Allelopathy, Launaea procumbens, Brassica rapa, Cucurbita maxima , Radicle plumule, concentrations.

INTRODUCTION

The concept of allelopathy was described by many scientists. It is defined as; allelopathy is the influence of one
plant on another plant through releasing chemicals into environment. Allelopathy means inhibition of growth due to
release of phytotoxins by one plant that influence another plant growth (Inderjit and Callaway, 2003). Allelopathy
simply defined as, “the release of phytotoxins by plants” (Bais et al., 2003) or the ability of plants to inhibit
germination and growth of other plants directly or indirectly (Machado, 2006; Kohli et al., 1997; Singh et al., 2001).
Similarly, some workers stated that allelopathy is the interference mechanism in which chemicals substance released
from the plant inhibit or stimulate the associated plant growth (Harper, 1977; May and Ash, 1990). The
allelochemicals may belong to different chemical classes and may vary from plant to plant. They may include
tannins, cyanogenic glycosides, several flavonoids and phenolic acids such as ferulic , p-coumaric, syringic, vanillic
p-hydroxybenzoic acids, etc. (Einhellig, 1995). Several investigators also reported that allelopathy play a vital role
in crop and weed interaction (Wilson and Rice, 1968; Rasmussen and Rice, 1971; Tajuddin et al., 2002; Colton and
Einhelig, 1980).
The extract of Perthenium hysterophorus reduced the growth of Brassica rapa and its germination (Jawed
et al., 2001). Early growth of Brassica rapa was also reduced by Parthenium residues due to water soluble phenols
which released into soil (Singh et al., 2005). Different concentratiosn of Croton bonplandianum are known to inhibit
germination and root length of seedlings of Brassica rapa (Sisodia and Sidddique 2010). Similarly, the germination
and growth of Cucurbita maxima was also affected due to the application of different extracts of Lantana camara
(Hossain and Alam 2010). Cucurbita maxima itself appears to be a plant of allelopathic potential. Squash Cucurbita
extract inhibited the germination radical and hypocotyls elongation of Zea mays and lettuce also (Fujiyoshi et al.,
2002). Launaea procumbens is reported to affect the germination and growth of mustard, bulrush millet, corn and
spinach (Shaukat et al., 2003) and radish (Khan et al., 2011). The present study is undertaken to investigate the
allelopathic potential of weedy Launaea procumbens on two important crop species of Pakistan i.e. Brassica rapa
(Turnip) and Cucurbita maxima (Pumpkin).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twelve kg of Launaea procumbens (Roxb.) Ramayya and Rajagopal were collected from the different
departments of FUUAST Gulshan-e-Iqbal campus Karachi. The plants were separated into roots and leaves from the
half of collected weed sample while other remaining part of collected weed sample used as whole plant. The
separated parts and whole material of weeds kept in green house for 2-3 weeks for drying. A fine powder of roots,
leaves and whole plants were prepared by grinding the dried plant materials in Villiemill (electric grinding
machine). The 2, 4 and 6% extract of roots, leaves and whole plant were prepared from the powder. The seeds of
both test species viz., Brassica rapa and Cucurbita maxima were sterilized with 0.5% HgCl₂ for 2 minutes and then
washed with distill water for several times. The Petri plates were washed with distill water and sterilized at 120ºC
142 MUNIZA RIAZ ET AL.,

for 3 hours in autoclave. Ten sterilized seeds were placed in each Petri plates containing double layers of Whatman
No.1 filter paper at uniform distance. The experiment was designed to use 2, 4 and 6% aqueous extracts of root,
leaves and the whole plant. However, in every treatment, control was also established. The extract was poured in
alternate days. While, control was treated with only distill water. The germination and growth of both test species
were observed up to 12 days and then its radicle and plumule lengths of the seedling were recorded.

Statistical analysis: The data was analyzed statistically following Khandakar and Bradbear (1983).

RESULTS

Effect of Launaea procumbens on final germination percentage and speed of germination of Brassica rapa.
The final germination percentage and speed of germination decrease with the increase of concentration of root,
leaves and whole plant extract of weed. At 6% of leaves extract of weed, the percentage germination and speed of
germination highly decreased as compared to control. While 4% and 6% extract of root, leaves and whole plant also
decreased percentage germination and speed of germination in Brassica rapa (Table 1).

Effect of Launaea procumbens on radicle and plumule elongation of Brassica rapa.

The mean of radicle and plumule length were shown in Table 1. Elongation of radicle and plumule considerably
decreased with the increase of concentration of root, leaves and whole plant extract of weed. However, at 6% of
leaves extract showed lowest elongation of radicle and plumule in contrast of control and other concentration 4%
and 6% of roots and whole plant extract also decrease the growth. While the inhibition percentage with the increase
of concentration of root, leaves and whole plant extract of Launaea procumbens.

Effect of Launaea procumbens on final germination percentage and speed of germination of C. maxima
Germination percentage and speed of germination are summarized in Table 2. The final germination percentage
and the speed of germination slightly decrease with the increase of different concentration of weed as compared to
control. No effect was observed in germination percentage and speed of germination at 2% whole plant
concentration.. However it is clear that the final germination percen tage and speed of germination reduced in 4%
and 6% concentration of root, leaves and whole plant of Launaea procumbens.

Table 1. Effect of different concentration of aqueous extract of Launaea procumbens on Brassica rapa (Turnip).

Final Speed of Inhibition (% plumule Inhibition (%

Radicle
Treatment Germination germination of radicle length of plumule
length (cm)
(%) (%) length) (cm) length)
Control 10±0 100 2.28±0.19 2.28 3.51±0.33 3.51
2% Root 9.67±0.33 62 1.42±0.29 37.71 2.93±0.48 16.5
2% Leaves 10±0.00 68 1.85±0.22 18.85 3.73±0.21 3.98
2% Whole
plants 10±0.00 100 1.23±0.13 46.05 2.24±0.11 36.18
4% Root 8.67±0.67 86 1.82±0.12 20.17 2.1±0.39 40.17
4% Leaves 9.67±0.33 96 2.25±0.26 1.31 3.1±0.64 11.68
4% Whole
plants 6±2.08 35.50 0.94±0.28 58.77 0.77±0.37 78.06
6% Root 8.67±0.67 30 0.56±0.06 75.43 0.73±0.16 79.2
6% Leaves 4±1.00 20 0.51±0.23 77.63 0.69±0.21 80.34
6% Whole
plants 5.33±2.4 24.75 0.6±0.43 73.68 0.93±0.69 73.58

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PHYTOTOXIC POTENTIAL OF LAUNAEA PROCUMBENS ON TWO TEST SPECIES 143

Table 2. Effect of different concentration of aqueous extract of Launaea procumbens on Cucurbita maxima
(Pumpkin).

Final Speed of Inhibition (% Inhibition (%

Radicle plumule
Treatment Germination germination of radicle of plumule
length cm length cm
(%) (%) length ) length)
Control 10±0 100 2.18±0.09 2.18 1.46±0.13 1.46
2% Root 7±1 26.35 2.11±0.06 3.21 1.65±0.09 13.01
2% Leaves 6.67±0.33 42.75 2.58±0.46 18.3 1.63±0.15 11.64
2% Whole
6.33±0.33 43.75 2.9±0.33 33 2.24±0.04 53.42
plants
4% Root 6.33±.67 41.35 2±0.27 3.21 1.78±0.27 43.83
4% Leaves 4.67±0.33 46 0.97±0.05 16.51 0.63±0.05 12.83
4% Whole
5.67±0.88 69.50 1.36±0.25 3.21 0.89±0.15 47.2
plants
6% Root 7.33±0.33 64 1.76±0.25 56.88 1.34±0.09 50
6% Leaves 8±0.58 71 1.87±0.37 74.31 1.48±0.36 52.73
6% Whole
6.33±0.67 61 2.32±0.3 72.47 1.61±0.17 36.3
plants

Fig. 1. Effect of weed extract on the seedling growth of Turnip.

Fig. 2. Effect of weed extract on the seedling growth of Pumpkin.

INTERNATIONA L JOURNAL OF BIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 14 (1): 141-145, 2017.

144 MUNIZA RIAZ ET AL.,

Effect of Launae procumbens on radicle and plumule elongation of C. maxima.

The result of radicle and plumule length of C. maxima are presented in Table 2. The radicle and plumule
enlongation comparatively decline in different concentration of weed as compared to control. The root are more
retarteded with the increase of concentration and due to this reason the more inhibition of root were observed in 6%
(root, leaves and whole plant) treatment of Launaea procumbens. The same trend were observed in the shoot length
of seedling.

DISCUSSION

Our study clearly indicated that the Launaea procumbens different concentration (2, 4, 6%) of roots, leaves and
whole plant affected the both crop species negatively at seedling stage i.e. they cause a decrease in final germination
percentage, speed of germination and retarded root and shoot growth. Some workers described that allelopathic
plants have phenolic compounds which cause toxicity due to which growth in length and seeds germination are
inhibited (Stowe et al., 1987; Blum, 1996; Inderjit, 1998; Burhan and Shaukat, 2000). The negative effect was
increasing with the increase of extract concentration of Launaea procumbens which indicated that the allelopathic
potential of Launaea procumbens depend on concentration against Brassica rapa and Cucurbita maxima. Some
other workers also presented that allelopathy is concentration dependent (Rai and Tripathi, 1984; Rizvi and Rizvi,
1987; Khan and Shaukat, 2006a, 2006b; Khan and Naqvi, 2008; Daniel, 1999). In both test species the growth of
root as well as shoot was inhibited as compared to the controlled plant. Similar results have been reported by Khan
et al. (2011) and Khan et al. (2012). Our results indicate that different crops have different response against
treatment of weed extracts. The same results of allelopathic concentration response were presented by some workers
on other plants also (Shaukat et al., 1985; Casado, 1995; Hofmann et al., 1996; Tajuddin et al., 2002; Shaukat et al.,
2003). Our study has indicated that Launaea procumbens weed has in vitro phytotoxic potential against Brassica
rapa and Cucurbita maxima.

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(Accepted for publication December 2016)

INTERNATIONA L JOURNAL OF BIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 14 (1): 141-145, 2017.