Allelopathic Effects of Balsam Poplar on Green Alder Germination

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A study of allelopathic potential of P. balsamifera (balsam poplar) on germination and growth of A. crispa var. mollis (green alder) was carried out. Leaf litter and bud extracts and fresh leaf leachates of P. balsamifera variously inhibited seed germination and radicle and hypocotyl growth of A. crispa at the 4 concentrations used: 2, 1, 0.5 and 0.1%. Hypocotyl growth was the least affected by the water extracts, followed by seed germination and radicle growth where a mean inhibition of 80% was observed. Morphological modifications such as root hair development and meristematic necrosis of the radicle were observed for at least the 2 higher concentrations used in the 3 treatments. Growth inhibition was not mediated by pH effects or osmotic pressure of the extracts. Thus allelopathic inhibition of root hair development may be of significance to its infection by the actinomycetal Frankia spp., but additional experiments are needed to evaluate it.

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: