Evaluation of Allelopathic Potential of Cicer arietinu

Abstract

The present study aimed to evaluate the allelopathic potential of root extract of Rumex dentatus L. and various allelochemicals on some physiological parameters in roots of Cicer arietinum L. The tested allelochemicals were benzoic, caffeic, cinnamic, ferulic, gallic, sinapic and vanillic acids. Seed germination of Cicer was inhibited by Rumex extract. Lipid peroxidation and hydrogen peroxide production increased gradually in response to extract concentration as well as allelochemicals treatment. The total soluble protein decreased whereas the total phenol increased under the various treatments. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD: 1.15.1.1) and catalase (CAT: 1.11.1.6) increased continuously with increasing extract concentration. However, peroxidase (POD: 1.11.1.7) increased sharply at 2% (w/v) followed by reduction at the higher concentrations and reached 1.1 U g-1 fresh weight at 10% (w/v) which was still higher than that of the control value. Ferulic acid was the most effective inducer for SOD activity followed by cinnamic acid. The POD activity increased remarkably particularly with cinnamic, benzoic and gallic acids. Sinapic, ferulic and coumaric acids enhanced CAT activity by 150.4%, 139.5% and 124.4%, respectively. The results reveal the possible use of R. dentatus as bioherbicide.