ALLELOPATHIC EFFECTS OF GUIZOTIA ABYSSINICA ON BIOCHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF SEEDLINGS OF HORSE GRAM

M. Suseelamma* and R.R. Venkata Raju

The present aim of the work is to assess the allelopathic effect of crop plant Niger on biochemical composition of seedlings of another crop plant horse gram. We assessed the effect of aqueous extracts of shoot, root and residues of Niger plant on protein content, chlorophyll content and total free amino acids from the seedlings of horse gram. The results indicated that protein content of roots and shoots of the test plant seedlings decreased significantly by treatment with higher concentrations of root and shoot water extracts. The results on amino acid content revealed that the higher concentrations (10 & 5%) of extracts increased the amino acid levels of cotyledons significantly in 5 day old plants. However, the seedlings treated with 1% concentration of both extracts showed a decrease in amino acid levels. The same inhibitory pattern was also observed in 7 day old seedlings. The chlorophyll content results revealed that the higher concentrations significantly inhibited the total chlorophyll content in horse gram seedlings. However, stimulation was observed with lower concentrations on 5th day. In conclusion, the tested crop Niger plant significantly reduced the biochemicals like protein content, chlorophyll content and free amino acid contents of crop plant horse gram.