Laboratory Studies on the Effects of Aqueous Extracts from Sorghum bicolor Stem and Zea mays (Roots and Tassel) on the Germination and Seedling Growth of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.)
The allelopathic effect of the aqueous extracts from Sorghum bicolor stem and maize (roots and tassel) were examined on the germination and seedling growth of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.). The results showed that the extracts inhibited the germination of okra seeds which was more pronounced in seeds treated with maize (roots and tassel) extracts as no germination was recorded until 48 hours of experimental time. Also the radicle and plumule lengths were retarded. Plumule lengths were more retarded as no germination was recorded until 72 hours of experimental time. The inhibitory effects were concentration dependent as the inhibition increases with increase in concentration of the extracts. Statistical analysis () revealed that there were significant differences in the germination of okra treated seeds most especially at higher concentration of the extracts when compared to control experiment. In the radicle lengths, statistical analysis revealed that there were significant differences in the radicle lengths of the extract treated seeds compared to the control experiment except at 24 hours of experimental time. Similarly in the plumule, significant differences abound in the extract treated seeds from 72？hrs to 144？hrs. These findings indicate that both germination and growth of okra sown in the field may be adversely affected by extracts from these residues, thus resulting in lowering yields especially by the maize root extracts. 1. Introduction The chemical interference of donor plants on another receptor plants thereby affecting them negatively or positively had been established which is referred to as allelopathy [1, 2]. Allelopathic influence can have stimulatory effect on the growth of other plants thereby increasing their growth positively and inhibitory effect by suppression of neighbouring plant growth by the release of toxic compound [3]. Allelopathy plays important role in agroecosystem leading to the interaction crop to crop, crop to weed, weed to crop, and trees to crop [4], through the production of chemical compounds (allelochemicals) that escape into the environment. These allelochemicals are released from plant parts such as leaves, flowers, seeds, stems, and roots rhizomes [5, 6] from where they are released into the environment by leaching from above ground parts, root exudation, volatilization, and decomposition of plant residues in both natural and agricultural systems [7–9]. Allelopathy inhibition is complex and can involve the interaction of different classes of chemicals such as phenolic compounds, flavonoids, terpenoids,
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