Abstract
The phytotoxicity of plant leachates was evaluated from four subtropical grasses:Brachiaria mutica, Digitaria decumbens, Imperata cylindrica var. Major, andPanicum repens. The aqueous leachate of each grass was used to water the growth of the four grasses in pots. The leachates exhibited variable inhibition of grass growth as compared to the tap water control. By the 41st day after treatment, the leachate ofD. decumbens significantly suppressed the growth of itself and retarded that ofB. mutica andP. repens. The growth ofB. mutica was inhibited by its own leachate, but that ofI. cylindrica was not affected by any of the grass leachates. In crop growth rate (CGR) analysis, the four grass leachates exhibited a similar inhibition pattern. In laboratory bioassays, the leachates showed a significant phytotoxic effect on the radicle growth of ryegrass and lettuce. Six phytotoxic phenolics were quantitatively compared by high-performance liquid chromatography, and the amount of compounds varied with species. The highest total amount of phytotoxic phenolics occurred inD. decumbens, followed, in decreasing order, byP. repens, B. mutica, andI. cylindrica. These findings show that the leachates of four grasses possess phytotoxic compounds that may play a significant role in grass dominance in the field.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Black, C.C., Chen, T.M., andBrown, R.H. 1969. Biochemical basis for plant competition.Weed Sci. 17:338–344.
Chou, C.-H. 1975. Leaching of cations fromMiscanthus floridulus and its associated soils.Bot. Bull. Acad. Sin. 16:10–18.
Chou, C.-H. 1977. Phytotoxic substances in twelve subtropical grasses. I. Additional evidences of phytotoxicity in the aqueous fractions of grass extracts.Bot. Bull. Acad. Sin. 18:131–141.
Chou, C.-H. 1987. Allelopathy in subtropical vegetation and soils, pp. 102–117,in G.R. Waller (ed.). Allelochemicals: Role in Agriculture and Forestry. ACS Symposium Series 330. American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C.
Chou, C.-H., andChen, C.S. 1976. Leaching metabolites in the vegetation of northern Taiwan. I.Bot. Bull. Acad. Sin. 17:25–36.
Chou, C.-H., andKuo, Y.L. 1986. Allelopathic research of subtropical vegetation in Taiwan III. Allelopathic exclusion of understory byLeucaena leucocephala (Lam) de Wit.J. Chem. Ecol. 12:1431–1448.
Chou, C.-H., andLee, K.J. 1987. Effects of nitrogen fertilizer levels on the allelopathic potential of pangola grasses and weeds.Bot. Bull. Acad. Sini. 29:31–41.
Chou, C.-H., andLin, H.J. 1976. Autointoxication mechanism ofOryza saliva I. Phytotoxic effect of decomposing rice residues in soil.J. Chem. Ecol. 2:353–367.
Chou, C.-H., andMuller, C.H. 1972. Allelopathic mechanism ofArctostaphylos glandulosa var.zacanensis.Am. Midl. Nat. 88:324–347.
Chou, C.-H., andYoung, C.C. 1974. Effects of pH and osmotic concentration on plant growth.Taiwania 19(2):157–165.
Chou, C.-H., andYoung, C.C. 1975. Phytotoxic substances in twelve subtropical grasses.J. Chem. Ecol. 1:183–193.
Chou, C.-H., Hwang, S.Y., Peng, C.I., Wang, Y.C., Hsu, F.H., andChung, N.C. 1987. The selective allelopathic interaction of a pasture-forest intercropping system in Taiwan.Plant Soil 98:31–41.
del Moral, R., andMuller, C.H. 1969. Fog drip: A mechanism of toxin transport fromEucalyptus globulus.Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 96:467–475.
Eussen, J.H., andNieman, G.J. 1981. Growth inhibiting substances from leaves ofImperata cylindrica (L.) Beauv.Z. Planzenphysiol. 102:263–266.
Liang, J.C., Sheen, S.S., andChou, C.-H. 1983. Comparative allelopathic interaction among some subtropical pastures, pp. 121–130,in C.-H. Chou and G. R. Waller (eds.) Allelochemicals and Pheromones. Institute of Botany, Academia Sinica. Monograph Series No. 5, Academia Sinica, Taipei.
Muller, C.H. 1966. The role of chemical inhibition (allelopathy) in vegetational composition.Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 93:332–351.
Muller, C.H. 1969. Allelopathy as a factor in ecological process.Vegetatio 18:348–357.
Perkin-Elmer, 1971. Analytical Methods for Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. Perkin-Elmer Ltd., Norwalk, Connecticut.
Putnam, A.R., andDuke, W.B. 1974. Biological suppression of weeds: Evidence for allelopathy in accession of cucumber.Science 185:370–371.
Rice, E.L. 1984. Allelopathy, 2nd ed. Academic Press, New York. 422 pp.
Tukey, H.B., Jr., 1969. Leaching of metabolites from foliage and its implication in the tropical rainforest, pp. 155–160,in H. T. Odum (ed.) A Tropical Rainforest. Atomic Energy Commission, Division of Technical Information, Washington, D.C.
Tukey, H.B., Jr. 1970. The leaching of substances from plants.Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. 21:305–314.
Tukey, H.B., Jr. 1971. Leaching of substances from plants, pp. 25–32,in Biochemical Interactions Among Plants. National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C.
Whittaker, R.H., andFeeny, P.P. 1971. Allelochemics: Chemical interaction between species.Science 171:757–770.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Paper No. 344 of the Scientific Journal Series of the Institute of Botany, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C. The study was supported in part by a grant to C.-H. Chou by the Academia Sinica and the Council of Agriculture, the Executive Yuan of the Republic of China.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chou, C.H. Allelopathic research of subtropical vegetation in Taiwan. IV. J Chem Ecol 15, 2149–2159 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01207445
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01207445