Allelopathic effects of aerial parts aqueous extract of Ampelocissus latifolia (Roxb.) Planch. in apical meristem cells

This study was aimed to explore allelopathic effects of aerial parts aqueous extract of Ampelocissus latifolia (Roxb.) Planch. (AAEAL) in terms of cytological and morphological alterations in root apical meristems. Allelopathic effects of AAEAL was studied on green gram and onion root apical meristems by analysing growth retardation and /or by scoring mitotic index, colchicine like metaphase arrest and interphase nuclear condensation. AAEAL treatment showed significant allelopathic effects in terms of growth retardation in green gram and onion apical meristem cells in a dose dependent manner. In onion root tip cells mitotic index reduced after AAEAL treatment and could induce decreased nuclear volume, increased interphase chromatin condensation and various chromosomal abnormalities in onion root tip cells. In conclusion it may be said that aerial parts of A. latifolia contain watersoluble effective allelochemicals