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Allelopathic
effects of an invasive alien weed Parthenium
hysterophorus L. compost on lettuce germination and
growth
Mulatu Wakjira*, Gezahegn Berecha and
Solomon Tulu
Department of Horticulture, Jimma University, College
of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, P. O. Box 307,
Jimma, Ethiopia.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
mulwak2000@yahoo.com. Tel:
+251471110102. Fax: +251471110934.
Accepted 15 October, 2009 |
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The present study was conducted to determine
allelopathic effects of parthenium compost and to
investigate whether ratio of parthenium composted with other
plant materials have an influence on allelopathic potential
of parthenium. Two emergence and growth experiments were
conducted using lettuce as a model plant. Fresh parthenium
reduced lettuce emergence percentage and rate and radicle
and plumule lengths by 93, 95, 97 and 93%, respectively.
Composted parthenium however reduced emergence percentage
and rate and radicle and plumule lengths by 0, 33, 35 and
43%, respectively. Composting parthenium with other plant
materials reduced allelopathic inhibition effects of
parthenium on lettuce emergence rate and radicle and plumule
lengths more than composting parthenium alone. Our results
clearly showed that composting greatly reduced allelopathic
effects of parthenium compared to fresh parthenium.
Furthermore, composting parthenium with other plants
resulted in lower inhibition of emergence rate and radicle
and plumule lengths compared to composting parthenium alone.
Hence, we suggest parthenium composting with locally
available plant materials as a means to reduce its
allelopathic inhibitory effect and as a way of parthenium
management by utilization.
Key words:
Allelopathy, compost, germination, invasive alien weed,
Parthenium hysterophorus, seedling growth. |
