Effect of Ploidy Level of Trigonella foenum-graecum on its Allelopathic Potential

• Main Authors: Faten Omezzine, Rabiaa Haouala
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Institution of the Agricultural Research and Higher Education 2017-06-01
• Series: Tunisian Journal of Plant Protection
• Subjects: Allelopathic potential; fenugreek; inhibition index; mixoploidy
• Online Access: http://www.tjpp.tn/SiteWeb/CurrentIssue/2Omezzine.pdf

The present study was conducted to assess allelopathic activity of diploid and mixoploid fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) aqueous extracts of dried shoots (10, 20, 30 and 40 g/l) against lettuce (Lactuca sativa), alfalfa (Medicago sativa), and peganum (Peganum harmala). Results showed that fenugreek allelopathic potential was significantly enhanced by polyploidization. Mixoploid plant extracts have more significant effects (P inf 0.05) on all target species than that of diploid plants at all tested concentration levels. At the high concentration of 40 g/l, mixoploid plant extract induced 9% more inhibition on lettuce root growth, 21% more on peganum, and 36% more on alfalfa than that from diploid plant. Based on the whole-range inhibition index for growth, the allelopathic potential of mixoploid plants was enhanced by 24.4% on lettuce, 79.7% on peganum, and 37% on alfalfa. There was a significant difference in sensitivity towards fenugreek allelopathy among the target species with lettuce being the most sensitive and alfalfa the least affected. Such differences were consistent for both mixoploid and diploid plants. Fenugreek may be favorably used in sustainable weed management. Moreover, it seems that polyploidy induction is an effective tool to increase fenugreek allelopathic activity