Allelopathic potential of native species on weeds in Morelos, Mexico associated with the cultivation of corn

Abstract

The main objective of the study was to identify native plants of the State of Morelos with allelopathic potential associated with the cultivation of corn, which could be involved as a Push-Pull strategy. Aqueous extracts of thirty collected weed species were applied against two white species, evaluated by a new sandwich microbioassay in Elisa plates, in parallel with a plate bioassay. Effects on germination, root growth and hypocotyl were calculated. A second trial evaluated the allelopathic potential of weeds on the growth of Parthenium hysterophorus under semi-controlled conditions, recording the total effect, foliar and root interaction without barriers, competition for cover and root interaction, to then calculate the root interaction (IR) based on the witness. The results indicated that the medium doses 2.5% w/v and high doses 5% w/v of aqueous extracts of the weeds Rhynchosia minima, Antigonon leptopus, Ipomoea tricolor, Ipomoea triloba, Calopogonium mucunoides, Crotalaria pumila and Ipomoea hederifolia, show inhibitory activity on the germination and growth of Amaranthus hypochondriacus and Panicum maximum. All the residues inhibited the germination and growth of the weeds, increasing their activity when increasing the dose. Species with allelopathic potential could be evaluated in a program that involves the Push-Pull strategy associated with maize cultivation. Seven native species with potential allelopathic effect were identified by means of a fast and economic protocol such as sandwich microbioassay, in addition, the weeds with the highest inhibition were verified using two doses of residues, and the predominant effect of three species of Convulvulaceae was illuminated, in the inhibition with interaction. root on weeds.