Allelopathic effects of aqueous extract of three barley cultivars (Hordeum vulgare) on germination and pigment content of Whitetop, Rye grass and Flixweed

In the recent years, the use of allelopathic potential of crop plants in weed management has attracted great attention of many specialists. Since Lepidiumdraba, Secale cereal and Descurainia sophia are among the most important weeds in barley fields in Kerman region, this research was conducted to evaluate the allelopathic potential of barley (Hordeum vulgare) cultivars (including Nosrat, Macuiee and Valfagr) on germination and growth characteristics of these three weed species. The study was conducted as factorial in completely randomized block design with three replications in both laboratory and greenhouse of Shahid Bahonar university of Kerman, Iran. Results showed that effects of aqueous extracts of vegetative organs of barley cultivars on germination and growth characteristics of weeds were different. Among the weeds treated with different extracts, the highest germination percentage (98.33%) were belonged to S. cereal and D. sophia, which were treated with Nosrat and Makuiee leaves extract. Although leaf and stem extracts of Nosrat cultivar did not have significant effect on stem and root dry weight of S. cereal and L. draba, they resulted in significant decrease of stems and roots dry weight of D. sophia by 75% and 90%, compared to the control, respectively. Although, S. cereal had the highest sensivity in terms of chlorophyll a and b, which were generated by Makuiee and Nosrat cultivars, respectively, the inhibition of Makouei leaf extract was greater on carotenoids content of L.draba. In general, three barley cultivars extracts had the most negative allopathic effects on the growth of D. sophia.