Gautam et. al., IJLSBE (2016) 3:1 International Journal on Life science and Bioengineering

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1 Gautam et. al., IJLSBE (2016) 3:1 International Journal on Life science and Bioengineering RESEARCH ARTICLE Effects of Eucalyptus exudates on Vigna mungo L. and V. radiata L. Ravi Gautam 1 Ashok Kumar 1 and Shadab Ali 2* 1 Department of Botany, CCS University, Meerut 2 Department of Lifesciences, IAMR Group of Institution, Ghaziabad *Corresponding Author Shadab Ali shadabkhanbiotech@gmail.com Abstract Plants may be affected directly or indirectly by allelochemicals which may be released from plants or micro-organisms. In this study, the allelopathic effect of leaf leachate of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh was examined on germination, growth, morphological and physiological criteria of Vigna mungo L. and V. radiata L. The present study was conducted to assess the effect of aqueous extract of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh leaves on some parameters like as plant height, seedling growth, nodular volume, nodule number, fresh weight of nodules, and dry weight of nodules with respect to two leguminous species Vigna mungo L. and V. radiata L. respectively. A step reduction in the number of nodules was observed in the plants grown in plots treated with Eucalyptus leaf litter/leachates. However, the nodular volume and fresh weight in treated plots were greater than in control plots. Interestingly, dry weight of nodules was more in control plots. However, the total volume, fresh weight and dry weight of nodules were much more in control plots as compared to treatment plots. Key words Allelopathy, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Vigna mungo. Introduction Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh belonging, to family Myrtaceae is a large perennial woody tree [15] and is a major component of agroforestry programmes copping due to its good timber value and copping ability. It was estimated that Eucalyptus plantations occupy about 1.5 million hectares of land in 28

2 India [17]. However, many farmers, environmentalists, social activists and NGOS have been raising objections against large scale cultivation of eucalyptus. Eucalyptus is a believed to be not only responsible for soil erosion and reduction in soil fertility due to its water intensive and nutrient intensive properties [22] but is also held responsible for reduction in biological productivity through its allelopathic properties [8]. Eucalyptus is believed to exert harmful effects on crop including germination and growth of seedlings. On the other hand, there do exist a number of reports to the contrary which do not support the contention that eucalyptus plantation leads to reduction in soil fertility, some reports have appeared the unfavourable effects of Eucalyptus leaf leachates on legumes [9] also. The present study was conducted to assess the effect of leaf extract on some parameters like as plant height, seedling growth, nodule volume, nodule number, dry weight of nodule, fresh weight of nodules of Vigna mungo L. and Vigna radiate L. Materials and Methods The experiments were conducted during kharif season in in the experimental fields of Department of Botany, C.C.S University Meerut. Six plots of m were prepared for V. mungo. Out of these three plots were used for control while other three plots were treatment. The plots were properly irrigated but no fertilizers were applied. 200 seed of V. mungo were allowed to germinate in each plot. The leaves of eucalyptus collected from C.C.S. University campus, Meerut were used for preparing leachates 2 kg of fresh leaves were dipped in 20 litres of water for three days. After three days, drained out water was used for irrigating treated plots at a regular intervals of three days. Control plots were irrigated with some amount of tab water. Number of seeds germinated, nodule volume, nodule number, fresh weight of nodules and visible nodule were counted and removed from the plant roots with the help of forceps and needle. Dry weights of nodules in control as well as treatment plots were assessed. The nodule volume was measured by a specific apparatus meant for the purpose. It consisted of a syringe through a 1ml tube. Water was taken in the calibrated tube up to a certain marked level. The nodules from one plant were immersed in the tube. This made the water level to rise in the calibrated tube. The space which is occupied by rise of the water level in the calibrated tube was calibrated with the help of syringe. The amount of water in the syringe was noted which was equal to volume of the nodule on a particular plant. The fresh weight and dry weight of the nodules were also recorded. For assesses the dry weight the nodules were dried in an oven for 2 days at 60 C observation for nodules of five plants/plot were recorded. 29

3 Result and Discussion The present studies were conducted to assess the effect of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh litter on the growth and nodulation of Vigna mungo L. and V. radiata L. The result of the present studies revealed that only 29 % and 94 % seed germination occurred in treatment plots as compared to 33 % and % in control plots of Vigna mungo L. and Vigna radiata L. respectively. Allelopathic effects of these compounds are often observed to occur early in the life cycle, causing inhibition of seed germination and seedling growth [7]. The Eucalyptus sp. leacheates contained phenolic compound such as coumaric, gallic, gentisic, catechol, hydroxybenzoic syringic and vanillic acid. Germination of the cereals depends on alpha amylase activity that regulates starch breakdown, neccessary for supplying substrates to respiratory metabolism. Eucalyptus leaf leachates decreased alpha amylase activity in seed of finger millet resulting in inhibition of germination [16]. 30

4 The inhibition of germination is dependent on the concentration of the extract, perhaps it may be due to the entry of water soluble allelochemicals into the seed, which retards the germination and growth [26]. The Eucalyptus leaves contain essential oil and flavonoids. The essential oil obtained by monoterpenes, hydrocarbons, alpha and beta pinene, myrcene, ocimene, camphene, the terpene alchellinonol and cineol oxide. The germination, seedling, vigour, and seedling length of the three crops namely, Phaseolus aureus, Hardeum vulgare, and Avena sativa were significantly reduced when placed in chambers finished with Eucalyptus oil [24]. and Arachis hypogea. Further, when seed of Phaseolus aureus were placed in Petri dishes having soil adsorbed with Eucalyptus oils, 31

5 the germination was greatly reduced [23]. The reduction in biomass may be due to stunted and reduced seedling growth [27]. Reduction in chlorophylls may decrease the photosynthesis, and thereby substantially decreased all the metabolites viz., total sugar, proteins, and soluble amino acids. Bisal reported that Eucalyptus has harmful effect on germination and seedling growth of wheat, barley, lentils, chick pea, mustard, many weeds [24]. Eucalyptus camaldulensis (Dehnh) exerts much allelopathic effect and large number of allelochemicals. Reports showed that the leaf stem and roots extract or leachates from different species E. globulus inhibited the germination and seedling growth of cereals, millets and legumes etc. [6, 19, 29]. Various volatile chemicals terpenes like limonene, cineole, citronellol, alfa and grndinol, etc. identified from the crude oil are highly toxic and effect the germination and growth of native vegetation [2,11]. Eucalyptus species are reported to released volatile compound such as benzoic acid, cinnamic acid and phenolic compounds which inhibited the growth of crops. Eucalyptus are reported to released a number of volatile and non- volatile allelochemicals that affect growth of the associated vegetation and reduced chlorophyll content and cause wilting [18,12]. The volatile allelochemicals have also been found to inhibit respiration [28]. Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh leaf leachates containing phenolic compounds, these inhibit the growth of many legumes [9]. The mean height of plants i.e., Vigna mungo L.and V. radiata L. which grown in plots treated with Eucalyptus leaf litter were cm and cm as compared to cm and cm in control plots respectively. The results get supports from the work carried out by number of workers earlier. It was reported that Eucalyptus litters caused reduction in the shoot length of crop plants [5]. The growth of Vigna mungo L., V. radiata L. was much lesser in the soil taken from area under eucalyptus plantations [1, 25]. The mean number of nodules of plants i.e., Vigna mungo L. and V. radiata L. which grown in plots treated with Eucalyptus leaf litter were 4.33 and 2.0 as compared to 7.33 and 4.13 as in control plots respectively. The leaf extract of Eucalyptus reduction the nodules number in mung bean. On the other hand, the mean nodular volume (ml) of plants i.e., Vigna mungo L. and V. radiata L. which grown in plots treated with Eucalyptus leaf litters were 0.24 and 0.21 as compared to 0.16 and 0.08 in control plots respectively. The fresh weight of nodules (mg) of plants i.e., Vigna mungo L. and V. radiata L. which grown in plots treated with and as compared to 109 and in control plots. The dry weight of nodules of plants i.e., Vigna mungo L. and V. radiata L. which grow in plots treated with Eucalyptus leaf litter was and as compared to and 35.6 in control plots. So that a step reduction in the number of nodules 32

6 was observed in the plants grown in plots treated with Eucalyptus leaf litter /leachates. However, the nodular volume and fresh weight in treated plots were greater than that in control plots. Interestingly dry weight of nodules was more in control plots. When numbers of nodules were multiply with nodular volume/ fresh weight/ dry weight, the total volume, Fresh weight and dry weight of nodules were much more in control plots as compared to treatment plots. It was found that the leaf litter of Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh had inhibitory effect on the nodulation as test plants [3]. In addition, the leachates and extracts from the Eucalyptus leaf, litter bark, flowers and leaf much have been reported to reduce the germination and initial growth of a number of plant species [10,13,14,21]. Thus overall and adverse effect of Eucalyptus leaf litter leachates was observed on nodulations. Conclusion In this study, allelopathic chemicals of Eucalyptus may have the potential as either herbicide. A step reduction was observed in after the treatment of Eucalyptus leaf/leachate. The leaf litter of Eucalyptus camaldulensis had inhibitory effect on the nodulation as in test plant. It may be possible to use the leaf leachate of Eucalyptus in weed management. Acknowledgements The authors thank Prof. M U Charaya for their invaluable assistance for the experiments and his advice on experimental modelling as well as for providing necessary information, useful suggestions and correcting various documents of mine with attention and care regarding the research work. Our frequent discussions on mutual interests and the multitude aspects of life have made our relationship all the more enjoyable. References 1. Blaise D, Tyagi PC, Kholo OPS and Ahlawat SP. Effect of Eucalyptus on wheat, maize and cowpea. All. J. 1997; 4: Bolte ML, Bowers J, Crow WD, Paton DM, Sakurai A, Takahashi N, Ujie M and Yoshida S. Germination inhibitor from Eucalyptus puverulenta. Agricultural and Biological Chemistry, 1984; 48: Bowman DMJS and Kirkpatrick JB. Establishment, suppression and growth of Eucalyptus delegatensis R. T. Baker in multiaged forests. II. Sampling growth and its environmental correlates, Aust. J. Bot. 1986; 34: Davidson J and Das S. Chronology of Eucalyptus Introduction in Bangladesh in Eucalypts in Bangladesh, Davidson, J. and S. Das (ed.). A review. Silviculture Division Bull. No 6. Bangladesh Forest Research Institute, Chittagong. 1985; Dell B and Huang L. Physiological responses of plants to low boron plant. Plant Soil. 1997; 193: Djanaguiraman MP, Ravishankar and Bangarusamy U. Effects of Eucalyptus 33

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