Allelopathic Potential and HPTLC Analysis of Ipomoea carnea

In the present study, sandwich method was used to study the allelopathic interactions of Ipomoea carnea on two test weed seeds i.e. Amaranthus spinosus and Cassia fistula. Pot experiments were also conducted where Ipomoea extracts were applied on germinated seedlings in bags and the effect was observed after regular application of Ipomoea extract as a weedicide. Both methods showed inhibition of the weeds with respect to growth of seedlings. However, the results were more significant in Sandwich method as compared to Spray Bioassay, indicating the allelopathic properties of Ipomoea carnea are more significant on un-germinated seeds compared to grown plantlets. HPTLC analysis revealed the presence of flavonoids, phenols, tannins and terpenoids in Ipomoea carnea. Since all the four phytochemicals were present in Ipomoea carnea, these could be responsible for allelopathic properties of Ipomoea carnea on Amaranthus spinosus and Cassia fistula. Key-wordsIpomoea carnea, Allelopathy, Weedicide, HPTLC INTRODUCTION Allelopathy is the inhibitory effect of one living plant upon another by the release of toxic substances. It is an interference mechanism, in which live or dead plant materials release chemical substances, which inhibit or stimulate the associated plant growth . The study of allelopathy increased in the 1970s and has undergone rapid development since the mid-1990s, becoming a popular topic in botany, ecology, agronomy, soil science, horticulture, and other areas in recent years. Allelopathic interaction can be one of the significant factors contributing to species distribution and abundance within plant communities and can be important in the success of invasive plants . Allelopathy has effects on several aspects of plant ecosystem which includes occurrence of the plants, their growth, dominance, productivity, divergence and succession. Initially, many of the forestry species evaluated had negative allelopathic effects on food and fodder crops, but in the 1980s research was begun to identify species that had beneficial, neutral, or selective effects on companion crop plants . The main purpose of research on allelopathy include the application of the observed allelopathic effects to agricultural production, reduction of the input of chemical pesticides and consequent environmental pollution, and provision of Access this article online Quick Response Code Website: