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International Journal of
Entomology Research
ARCHIVES
VOL. 11, ISSUE 2 (2026)
Allelopathic propensity of Melia dubia Cav. leaf litter on the growth performance of leguminous crops
Authors
Mahalakshmi R, S Uma Gowrie
Abstract
Allelopathy is a biological occurrence in which an organism exudate one or more biochemicals that alters the survival, growth or replication of other adjacent organisms. These biochemicals are known as allelochemicals which have either beneficial (positive allelopathy) or detrimental (negative allelopathy) effects on the target organisms. The present study has been carried out using the leaf litter collected from commercial varieties of Melia dubia Cav. Varsha (FRI/MD/232) and Shashi (FRI/MD/349) to analyse its allelopathic potency on the growth and enhancement of leguminous crops. The presence of different phytoconstituents in the leaf litter was analysed through Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry analysis (GC-MS) and their allelopathic influence on leguminous plants was examined through germination tray experiments using various concentrations of leaf litter (1g, 2.5g and 5g/seedling pit). The per cent germination, initial growth and biomass of leguminous plants such as Black gram (Vigna mungo L.) and Black chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) was observed. The amendment of leaf litter was found to inhibit the root length, shoot length and biomass of both black gram and black chick pea at an earlier stage. But, on later stages, it had no such inhibitory effect on their growth and development. Thus, the allelopathic effect of analysed phytochemicals were ephemeral or transitory in nature and it may have lessened with the passage way of time in soil which may be due to the process of volatilization. Melia dubia leaf litter contain allelochemicals that inhibit the growth of weeds nearby agricultural crops and thereby increasing the yield which resulting in better yields.
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Pages:75-81
How to cite this article:
Mahalakshmi R, S Uma Gowrie "Allelopathic propensity of <i>Melia dubia </i>Cav. leaf litter on the growth performance of leguminous crops". International Journal of Entomology Research, Vol 11, Issue 2, 2026, Pages 75-81
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