Phytotoxic potential of selected medicinal plants on germination of Lactuca sativa seeds

Abstract

Medicinal plants are best sources to treat various illnesses with them. So they might prove be a good source of developing novel herbicides. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential inhibition effects of Cucumis sativus, Portulaca oleracea, Malus baccata, Saxifraga flagillaris, Geranium wallichianum and Monotheca buxifolia powdered material on germination of Lactuca sativa seeds. Sandwich method was used for determining phytotoxicity of these plants in terms of radicle and plumule length of Lactuca sativa seeds with different amounts of 10, 20, and 40mg of powdered plant material. Cucumis sativus and Monotheca buxifolia were found the most phytotoxic among the selected medicinal plants at all concentration. The results can be sum off as Monotheca buxifolia > Cucumis sativus > Malus baccata > Saxifraga flagillaris > Geranium wallichianum > Portulaca oleraceae. From the results it can be assumed that the phyto-toxic effects of the aforementioned plants could be helpful in searching and development of new pharmaceuticals that can be used as positive sources for the development of new weedicides.