ABSTRACT
The effect of ethanoic and aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera and Senna alata on the germination and seedling growth of maize and soybean were investigated in laboratory and field (pot) experiment. Five treatment levels of different concentration of extracts (undiluted, 1:1, 1:25, 1:50), and control were used. The control treatment was only distilled water. The result showed that germination percentage of maize and soybean when treated with ethanoic extract from M. oleifera and S. alata were significantly (P<0.05) reduced. The concentration of the extract affected the germination percentage of the seed of the plant. As the concentration of extracts increased, the germination percentage reduced. The extracts significantly (P<0.05) stimulated growth of maize and soybean. It caused significant increase in the height and dry weight. This study reveals that the allellopathic chemicals present in the leaves of M. oleifera and S. alata inhibited germination of soybean and maize. This result therefore suggests that extracts of M. oleifera and S. alata contain both allelopathic and stimulatory substances responsible for inhibition of germination of soybean and maize and stimulation of growth of soybean and maize. The study suggests that ethanoic extracts of M. oleifera and S. alata can be used as a growth suppressant to prevent germination of weed seeds and also as bio-stimulator to stimulate growth of crops plant.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Title
Declaration i
Dedication ii
Acknowledgement iii
Table of content v
List of table viii
Abstract ix
CHAPTER ONE
1.0
Introduction 1
1.1
Botany of plants 5
1.2
Aims and objectives 6
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 Literature review 7
2.1 Effects of plant extract
on germination of plants 8
2.2 Effects of plant extract
on seedling growth of plants 10
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 Materials and methods 12
3.1 Preparation of extracts 12
3.1.1 Preparation of aqueous
extracts 12
3.1.2 Preparation of ethanoic
extract 12
3.2 Seed germination test 13
3.3 Seedling growth test 13
3.4 Experimental designs and
statistical procedures 14
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 Result 15
4.0.1 Plant height growth (cm) 15
4.0.2 Seed germination 21
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 Discussion 23
5.0.1 Effects of the aqueous and
ethanoic leaf extract of Moringa oleifera
on the germination of maize and soybean 24
5.0.2 Effects of aqueous and
ethanoic leaf extract of Senna alata on
the germination of maize and soybean 25
5.0.3 Effects of aqueous and
ethanoic leaf extract of Moringa oleifera
on the seedling growth of maize and soybean 26
5.1.4 Effects of aqueous and
ethanoic leaf extract of Senna alata on
the seedling growth of maize and soybean
5.1 Conclusion 26
5.2 Recommendation 27
References
Appendix
LIST OF TABLES
TABLE 4.1: Effects of
aqueous leaf extract of Moringa oleifera
on the seedling height and dry weight of maize (Zea mays)
TABLE 4.2: Effects of
aqueous leaf extract of Moringa oleifera
on the seedling height and dry weight of soybean (Glycine max)
TABLE 4.3: Effects of
aqueous leaf extract of Senna alata
on the seedling height and dry weight of maize (Zea mays)
TABLE 4.4: Effects
of aqueous leaf extract of Senna alata
on the seedling height and dry weight of soybean (Glycine max)
TABLE 4.5: Effects of
ethanoic extract of Moringa oleifera
on the seedling height and dry weight of maize (Zea mays)
TABLE 4.6: Effects of
ethanoic leaf extract of Moringa oleifera
on the seedling height and dry weight of soybean (Glycine max)
TABLE 4.7: Effects of
ethanoic leaf extract of Senna alata
on the seedling height and dry weight of maize (Zea mays)
TABLE 4.8: Effects of
ethanoic leaf extract of Senna alata
on the seedling height and dry weight of soybean (Glycine max)
TABLE 4.9: Effects of
aqueous leaf extract of Moringa oleifera
and Senna alata on germination
percentage of soybean and maize (%)
TABLE 4.10: Effects of
ethanoic leaf extract of Moringa oleifera
and Senna alata on germination
percentage of soybean and maize (%)
CHAPTER ONE
1.0
INTRODUCTION
In nature, plants species
grow together and interact with each other by inhibiting or stimulating the
growth and development through different interactions (Saha et al., 2015).
Plants are
reservoir of different
types of natural
occurring bio - organic
compounds having a
wide range of
biological activities. Different
parts of plants and their extracts have been used for various purposes since
long time ago due to their
chemical properties, availability, and simple use without side effects (Talab et al., 2012). Certain plant
extracts are found to have cytotoxic effects, some
showed antioxidant properties while a
group of plant
species effectively showed
antimicrobial activities. Besides protecting
plants from different pest and
diseases, several investigators
reported the effect of
plant extracts on
germination and growth
of different crops (Talukder,
2015). The ability of plants to affect the germination or growth of other plants
has been known for centuries (Putnam, 1994).
Allelopathy appears to be
an important component of plant interference capability in a variety of natural
and managed ecosystems (Weston and Duke 2003). Early reference of 300 BC,
suggests the involvement of this phenomenon, where many crop plants; gram (Cicer arietinum) and barley (Hordeum vulgare) inhibited growth of
some weeds and crop plants (Rice, 1984). Allelochemicals can be present in
any parts of
plant; roots, rhizomes,
leaves, stems, pollen,
seeds and flowers
which may be
released into the environment by root exudation, leaching
from over the ground parts, volatilization and decomposed plant
material (Verma, 2012).
Allelopathy is a
phenomenon where a plant species chemically interferes with the germination,
growth and development of other plant species and has been for over 2000 years
(Rice, 1984). The International Allelopathy Society defined allelopathy as
follows: “Any process involving secondary metabolites produced by plants,
micro-organisms, viruses, and fungi that influence the growth and development
of agricultural and biological systems (excluding animals), including positive
and negative effects” (Torres et al. 1996). Allelopathic interaction in development and
growth is complex
process that affects
all development and growth
aspects e.g. protein,
hormone and chlorophyll
synthesis, cell division, cell wall structure, membrane permeability and
function and active transmission of especially enzymes, anther
and spore germination,
organelle synthesis, photosynthesis,
respiration, leg-hemoglobin biosynthesis, activity of nitrogen fixation
bacteria and mycorhizal fungi, crop water uptake rate are liable to disturbances
by allelochemicals (Yarnia, 2009).
The occurrence of natural
allelopathic activity in crops has significant negative and positive
implication for cropping systems. The relevance of the allelopathic properties
of some crops has been suggested for weed management owing to the possibility
of reduction in usage of expensive, pollutant synthetic herbicides (Marine).
Aqueous extract of plants may interfere with test crop germination and seedling
of growth by i) causing plant growth inhibition (allelopathy) ii) causing
nutrient transformation and/or iii) by influencing the microbial population
that can affect the crop seedlings (Kruse et
al., 2000).
Allelopathic substances
were first detected by Davis (1928) in black walnut tree(Juglans nigra) whose foliar leachates containing Juglone was found
to damage germination and seedling growth of crops beneath the tree. (Bora et al., 1999) found the allelopathic
effect of leaf extracts of Acacia
auriculiformis on seed germination of some agricultural crops. It was also
reported that allelopathic effect is species specific and concentration
dependent (Einhelling, 1996). It was also noticed that leaves of Conyza
albida had more allelopathic
effect than stems,
additionally and it was
reported that leaves of congress weed (Tefera, 2002) and alfalfa (Chon
and Kim, 2002) had more allelopathic
effect than stem
and roots. Moreover, it was reported that some plants
can release allelopathic compounds later in the crop growth (Ben – Hammouda et al., 2001).
Allelochemicals that
inhibit the growth of some
species at certain concentrations
might in fact
stimulate the growth
of the same
or different species
at different concentrations (Narwal, 1994). It
is thus essential
to identify concentrations at
which each specific
response occurs.
Plant extracts of some
trees and crop residues have been reported to influence crop growth and yield
(Farroq, et al., 2008; Ahmed and
Nimer, 2002; El Atta and Bashir, 1999; Chung and Miller, 1995; Gueizzi, et al., 1967). Rapid and uniform germination with emergence
are desirable for well establishment in vegetables. Various
chemicals are employed to
increase germination as
well as growth of vegetables but high
rates of fertilizer
application particularly nitrogen
(N) fertilizers can delay and
reduce seedling emergence of many
vegetable crops. Due to
being expensive along
with hazardous toxic
effects of chemical compounds,
use of natural
and biodegradable substances like
fresh plant extracts has drawn
significant importance during the last few decades. After 1950 Science findings
showed that allelopathic interactions between crops and weeds are almost a
reason for reduced crops in cultivated plants. Most of
weeds specious have deterrent
effects on crops,
but some of
them stimulated seed germination and also the production of crops. Allelochemicals
inhibit seed germination by blocking
hydrolysis of nutrients reserve and
cell division (Irshad
and Cheema 2004),
and cause significant
reductions in the growth
of plumule and
radicle of various
crops (Ogbe et al., 1994).
Allelopathy inhibition is
complex and can involve the interaction of different classes of chemicals such
as phenolic compounds, flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, coumarins,
glycosides, and glucosinolates. These chemicals called secondary metabolites
are known to be exuded by plants to suppress emergence or growth of other
plants. These substances are phytotoxic and can be suggestive of their potentials
as natural herbicides (Avila et al.,
2006). These secondary metabolites released by plants may influence resource
competition, nutrient dynamics, microbial ecology, mycorrhizae, and even soil
abiotic factors. When plants are exposed to allelochemicals, their growth and
development are affected through inhibition of seed germination/or seedling
growth decrease. The readily visible effects include inhibited or retarded
germination rate, seeds darkening and swelling, reduced root or radicle and
shoot or coleoptile extension, swelling or necrosis of root tips, curling of
the root axis, discolouration, lack of root hairs, reduced dry weight
accumulation, and lowered reproductive capacity (Modupe, 2014).
Evidence for allelopathy
has accumulated in the literature over many years and many kinds of
allelochemicals have been isolated and characterized from various plants (Gross
and Paritheir, 1994; Seigler, 1996) which provided an extensive review of
allelopathy emphasizing its importance in agriculture and forestry. In agroforestry,
allelopathy has been correlated to problems with crop production on certain
soil types (Bhatt and Todaria, 1990), and with certain types of crop rotations
(Patrick, 1971). The phenomenon of allelopathy where one plant exerts
detrimental effect on another through the production of germination and growth
inhibiting substances has been widely reported (Rizvi et al., 2000). A number
of weed and crop species have been reported to possess allelopathic activity on
the growth of other plant species (Rice, 1984).
Allelopathy is expected to
be a most important mechanism in the plant invasion process because the new
chemicals produced by the invader could allow these newly arrived species to
dominate natural plant one of the important mechanisms for the successful (Anita
et al., 2013).
1.1 BOTANY OF THE
PLANT
Drumstick tree
(Moringa oleifera) is a horse
radish tree belonging to the
family of Moringaceae, associated with multipurpose attributes,
wide adoptability, and
ease of establishment. Its leaves, pods, and flowers are packed with
nutrients important to both human and animals. M. oleifera is a native to north India but is now found throughout
the tropics. M.oleifera is not a
nitrogen fixing tree, but its fruits, flowers and leaves all contain 5% to 10%
protein on average. All of these parts are eaten widely as vegetables; provide
excellent food, for both humans and eaten like green beans. These
roots taste similar
to horse radish
and is popular
food (leaves) in
the East Africa. M.
oleifera flowers also produce good honey.
It has density of 0.5 to
0.7 and yield approximately 4,600kcaL/kg (Bashir et al., 2014).
Moringa (Moringa oleifera)
is considered as
one of the world’s most useful
trees, as almost every part of the tree has an
impressive effect of food, medication and
industrial purposes (Khalafalla
et al., 2010; Adebayo
et al., 2011;
Moyo et al., 2011).
Now-a-days, moringa plant has
attained enormous attention
because of having cytokinin,
antioxidants, macro and
micronutrients in its
leaves (Abdalla and
El-Khoshiban, 2012; Abdalla, 2013).
Moringa has proved to be a potential source for research as scientists
have moved their focus to this “Miracle tree".
Senna alata L.) Roxb. (Previously name Cassia alata) is a medicinal plant in
Leguminosae family. It has many common names such as: Candle bush, Acapulo, Ringworm
bush, and Calabra bush. The plant is a shrub normally 1 - 2 m
high but sometimes up to 5 m high and has horizontally spread branches. Leaves
are paripinnate, 30 - 60 cm long;
consisting of 8 - 20 pair of leaflets,
each leaflet is
oblong or elliptic
oblong, rounded at
both, ends, 5
- 15 by
3 - 7 cm,
glabrous. The petioles are robust, 2 - 3 mm long. Flowers are densely in
axillary racemes, about 20 - 50 cm long and 3 - 4 cm broad. The bracts are
caduceus, 2 - 3 by 1 - 2 cm broad. The pedicels are very short, about 2 - 4 m
long. There are 5, unequal, oblong, 10 - 20 by 6 - 7 mm, green sepals. The
petals are bright yellow, ovate-orbicular to spathulate, short-clawed, 2 by 1 -
1.5cm. There are 9 - 10 stamens; 2 large, 4 small and 3 - 4 stamens are
reduced. The anthers are opening by apical pores. There is only one pistil and
glabrous ovary. Fruit is a thick, flattened, wing, glabrous
pod, 10 - 15 by
1.5 - 2
cm. The wings are 5 mm
broad. Seed are
about 50, flattened, more
or less quadrangular,
7 - 10
by 5 -
8 mm and
black. Senna alata grows well in full sun in a wide range of soils, which
retain moisture adequately. The plants grow in waste places, often along
ditches between rice-fields. The plants are usually propagated by seeds and
distributed all over the country up to
1,500 m above sea level; sometimes
they are cultivated
for medical purposes
(Farnsworth and Bunyapraphatsara, 1992).
1.2 AIMS AND
OBJECTIVES
This research is aimed at
determining and comparing the effects of aqueous and ethanoic leaf extract of Moringa oleifera and Senna alata to access and evaluate:
·
Germination of maize (Zea
mays) and soybean (Glycine max) on
the extracts of Moringa oleifera and Senna alata
·
Seedling growth of maize (Zea mays) and soybean (Glycine max)
on the extracts of Moringa oleifera and
Senna alata
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