Abstract
Solanaceae plants have strong allelopathic potential, and therefore the action is confirmed
through: a) bioassays with liquid or various solvent extracts and residues, b) fractionation,
identification, and quantification of causative allelochemicals. Most assessments of allelopathy
involve bioassays of plant or soil extracts, leachates, fractions, and residues which
support seed germination and seedling growth in laboratory and greenhouse experiments.
Plant growth is also stimulated below the allelopathic threshold, however severe growth
reductions may be observed above the threshold concentration depending on the sensitivity
of the receiving species. Generally, seedling growth is more sensitive than germination,
particularly root growth. Some approaches showed that field soil collected beneath donor
plants significantly reduced or somewhat promoted the growth of the recipients plants.
Petri dish bioassays with aqueous extracts of different parts of donor plants showed considerable
phytotoxic activities in a concentration-dependent manner with leaf aqueous extracts
being most dominant. Delayed seed germination and slow root growth attributable
to the extracts may be baffled with diffusion effects on the rate of imbibition, delayed initiation
of germination, and particularly cell elongation; the main factor that is responsible
for affecting root growth before and after the tip penetrates the testa. Light and electron
microscopy extract analysis at the ultrastructural level are correctly investigated. Several
Solanaceae plants have allelopathic potential, and therefore the activities, kinds and quantity
of allelopathic compounds differ depending on the plant species. The incorporation of
allelopathic substances into agricultural management might scale back the development of
pesticides and reduce environmental deterioration.
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Authors and Affiliations
Siddiqui Mohammad Badruzzaman