Assessing the Potential of the Water Soluble Allelopaths of Marsilea minuta in Rice and Wheat

To investigate the allelopathic effect of Marsilea minuta against the germination and seedling growths of rice (Oryza sativa) and wheat (Triticum aestivum), germination bioassays were conducted in both Petri dish and soil cultures in laboratory conditions. Rice and wheat seeds were allowed to germinate in a 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5% (w/v) aqueous extract of whole plant and 2, 4, 6, and 8% (w/w) plant residue-incorporated soils of M. minuta. In Petri dish experiments, 5% (w/v) an aqueous extract of M. mimuta showed significantly lower germination percentages (18.8% and 56.3%), root lengths (0.9 and 4.5 cm), shoot lengths (3.3 and 12.4 cm), seedling lengths (4.1 and 25.0 cm), root dry weights (1.4 and 5.6 g), shoot dry weights (1.1 and 9.0 g), seedling biomasses (2.5 and 14.6 g), and seedling vigor indices (77.4 and 957.3) in rice and wheat, respectively. In pot experiments, the M. minuta residue infested soil, with 8% concentration, produced significantly lower germination percentages (25.3 and 37.5%), root lengths (2.7 and 6.1 cm), shoot lengths (6.2 and 16.5 cm), seedling lengths (8.9 and 22.6 cm), root dry weights (2.4 and 5.5 g), shoot dry weights (4.0 and 2.8 g), seedling biomasses (6.4 and 8.3 g), and seedling vigor indices (224.1 and 855.3) in rice and wheat, respectively. The highest phytotoxic action of 5% aqueous whole plant extract of M. minuta against test crops seem to be due to the presence of two potent phenolic compounds, namely p-coumaric acid (2.91 mg L-1) and m-coumaric acid (1.59 mg L-1) as determined by HPLC analysis. Com o objetivo de investigar o efeito alelopático de Marsilea minuta sobre a germinação e crescimento de plântulas de arroz (Oryza sativa) e trigo (Triticum aestivum), bioensaios foram realizados tanto em placas de Petri como em solo, em condições de laboratório. Sementes de arroz e trigo foram germinadas em 1, 2, 3, 4 e 5% (m/v) de extrato aquoso de planta inteira e 2, 4, 6 e 8% (m/m) de resíduos de M. minuta incorporados ao solo. Em placas de Petri, 5% (m/v) de extrato aquoso de M. minuta resultou em menores porcentagens de germinação (18,8 e 56,3%), comprimento de raiz (0,9 e 4,5 cm), comprimento da parte aérea (3,3 e 12,4 cm) e de plântulas (4,1 e 25,0 cm), massa seca das raízes (1,4 e 5,6 g) e de parte aérea (1,1 e 9,0 g), biomassa (2,5 e 14,6 g) e índice de vigor das plântulas (77,4 e 957,3) em arroz e trigo, respectivamente. Em experimentos em vasos, a incorporação ao solo de M. minuta a 8% reduziu a germinação (25,3 e 37,