Vegetos
(An International Journal of Plant Research & Biotechnology)
Allelopathic potential of Gloriosa superba L. rhizome leachate on Amaranthus viridis L., a weedy herb of India
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Research Articles | Published: 03 September, 2025
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Keywords: Allelochemicals, Colchicine, Membrane permeability, Seed germination behavior, Seed priming, USL-01
Abstract
Allelopathy is an antagonistic activity exhibited by certain plants, enabling them to compete with neighboring species. The study aims to explore the allelopathic potential of the rhizome leachate (USL-01) of Gloriosa superba L. on the weedy species Amaranthus viridis L. by examining changes in seed germination behavior and biochemical parameters of A. viridis seedlings at different germination times. The effect of USL-01 (40 mg/ml, w/v) was compared with other chemicals like H2O2 (5%, v/v), kinetin (1 µg/ml, w/v), and colchicine (50.0 µg/ml, w/v), either alone or in combination. The seeds of A. viridis were primed with these chemicals for 6 h and 12 h, air-dried, and then used for germination assays. It was observed that the leachate USL-01, H2O2, and colchicine treatments caused significant impairment of seed germination, increased T50 values, and lowered the germination energy and seedling physio-biochemical parameters, including total carbohydrates, reduced sugars, amino acids, and total protein contents, in A. viridis seeds. It also increased the membrane permeability. At the same time, kinetin and its combination minimized the retardation factors of those treatments, equivalent to the untreated control. The study concludes that the USL-01 contains allelochemicals responsible for these growth effects, which interfere with the metabolism of sugars, amino acids, and proteins. Therefore, the compounds of USL-01, alone or in combination with H2O2 or colchicine, could be an excellent allelochemical agent in controlling weed species like A. viridis through 6-hrs and 12-hrs seed pretreatment.
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Author Information
Department of Botany, University of Gour Banga, Malda, India