Abstract
Experiments were conducted to determine the allelopathic potential of manilagrass. Aqueous extract of the dried shoot tissue (50 mg/ml) showed stronger inhibitory effect on seed germination and seedling growth of radish (Raphanus sativus), goosegrass (Eleusine indica), rice (Oryza sativa), tomato (Lycopersicon eculentum) and other plants than that of the fresh shoot tissue. In general, extracts of the shoots were more inhibitory than those of roots and seeds. At lower concentrations, however, the shoot extract promoted germination and growth of livid amaranth (Amaranthus viridus) . Germination of these assay plants was reduced to a greater extent as compared to seedling growth by these extracts. When the shoots incubated with some amount of soil as a source of microorganisms, inhibitory effect of the aqueous extract decreased with the incubation period. These results suggest that undecomposed and decomposing shoots of manilagrass in thatch layer may play an important role in vegetation flora and growth in manilagrass fields.
