Barley residues allelopathic effects on corn seed germination and seedlings growth

Abstract

Allelopathy is the detrimental effect of one crop on germination or development of a plant of another species. A factorial layout within completely randomized design with four replications was used to survey the influence of barley extract on corn seeds. Treatments included plant organs extract (leaf, stem, root and total), and different barley extract densities (Nosrat cultivar) includes four levels of 0%, 25%, 50% and 100%. The influence of barley extract was significant on coleoptile weight, radicle weight, radicle length and coleoptile length. Plant organs had meaningful effect on germination rate, germination percentage, coleoptile weight, radicle weight, radicle length and coleoptile length. Among all experimental characteristics, coleoptiles length was influenced by interaction between barley extract and plant organ. Although, the highest germination rate and germination percentage was related to 25% and 100% of barley extract density, the maximum coleoptile weight, radicle weight, radicle length and coleoptiles length was related to control treatment (0%). Leaf extract has obtained the higher values of germination rate, germination percentage, coleoptile weight, radicle weight, radicle length and coleoptile length. Interaction between control treatment (0% plant extract) and stem extract had obtained the highest coleoptiles weight, radicle weight, radicle length and coleoptile length. Hence, from the obtained results, it can be concluded that the extracts of barley may have allelopathic influence on germination and seedling growth of corn.