The effect of aqueous extract of poplar on the morphological and physiological parameters of lentil seedlings

Allelopathic is a natural phenomenon and when some special chemical compounds released by the plant species may affect plant species around. This study examines the allelopathic effect of aqueous extract of leaves of poplar (Populus deltoides) on parameters of the morphological (fresh and dry weight of shoot and root length and root) and physiological (germination and the content of pigments such as chlorophylls, carotenoids, and flavonoids) in lentil seedlings (Lens esculinaris). To perform the experiment of distilled water as a control and water extract of poplar (0.04, 0.06, 0.08 mg.ml-1) were used. Germination of seedlings declined in all days with increasing of concentration of extract significantly. The concentration of 0.08 significantly increased the fresh and dry weight of root and reduced shoot fresh weight of seedlings. Shoot dry weight was unaffected by none of the concentrations of poplar extract. The concentration of chlorophyll a and total chlorophyll of leaves of lentil seedlings under the influence of all three concentrations of the extract significantly declined but the concentration of chlorophyll b reduced only in the presence of 0.08 mg.ml-1 of aqueous extract significantly. The content of carotenoids by 0.08 treatment of aqueous extract declined while the concentration of flavonoids enhanced significantly. The study of chromatography showed that the secondary metabolites found in the leaves of poplar are belonging to phenolic glycosides and few of phenolic acids, which are able to inhibit plant growth. The results show that the poplar leaf extracts have allelopathic effects on the morphological and physiological parameters of lentil

کلیدواژه ها:

Allelopathy ، Growth ، Lentil (Lens esculinaris) ، Pigment ، Poplar (Populus deltoides)