Research article

Evaluation of allelophatic effects calotropis procera on sorghum and maize

*¹Umar S, ²Shuaib NH, ³Dangora II and ²Hassan KY

¹Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Kano, Nigeria

²Department of Biological Sciences, Sa‘adatu Rimi College of Education, Kano, Nigeria

³Department of Biological Sciences, Federal University, Dutse, Nigeria

*Correspondence author E-mail: sherifumar80@yahoo.com; Tel; +2348069404509

Accepted 26 August 2014

Abstract

The study was conducted to study the allelopathic effect of different concentrations (0,5,10,15 and 20%) of aqueous leaf extract of Calotropis procera on certain growth parameters (leaf area, plant height, fresh and dry weight and leaf number) in sorghum and maize. The experiment was conducted in a screen house (pot experiment) and was laid down in a completely randomized design (CRD). Results of the study revealed that the different concentrations (0, 5, 10, 15 and 20%) of the aqueous leaf extract had effect on growth parameters investigated. The highest inhibition in leaf area, plant height, fresh and dry weight of sorghum and maize was recorded in the 20% concentration. While the control experiment (0% concentration) had the lowest inhibition. The rate of inhibition is concentration dependent. As the concentration increases the leaf area, plant height, fresh and dry weight decreases. C. procera aqueous leaf extract did not have any allelopathic effect on leaf number of sorghum and maize. Therefore the study revealed that allelochemicals released from Calotropis procera extract had inhibitory effect on leaf area, plant height, fresh and dry weight of sorghum and maize and would have inhibitory effect when grown alongside with the test crop.

Keywords: Allelopathy, aqueous extract, inhibition, Calotropis procera