Allelopathy should be defined as any stimulatory or inhibitory effect by one plant on another through production of chemical compounds released into the environment. Several Solanum species have shown some allelopathic property. S. lycocarpum islargely distributed on disturbed areas of the Brazilian Cerrado. In the present study the effects of aqueous extracts of S. lycocarpum leaves on the germination and growth of Sesanum indicum L. (sesame) were investigated. Aqueous leaf extracts at concentrations of 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, and 5% (w/v) were prepared. The osmolarity of the extracts were measured and solutions of polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000) of similar osmolarity were prepared to evaluate osmotic effects of the extracts on sesame germination and growth. The experiments were carried out on petri dishes lined by two layers of filter paper plus the solutions to be tested. For the germination experiments the number of germinated seeds was checked every 8h. For the growth experiments sesame seeds were previously germinated in water and disposed to grow in the extracts. After five days of incubation the root and shoot length of the seedlings was measured. All the experiments were performed at 22 ºC, 30 ºC and 38 ºC. The extracts did not affect the germinability but increased the average germination time in a dose-dependent manner at the three temperatures. The root growth was more affected by the extracts, showing tip-necrosis, absence of root hairs, and formation of secondary roots. These effects were more evident at 38 ºC. Using PEG 6000 it was shown that the observed effects were not due to osmotic properties of the leaf extracts.
allelopathy; germination; plant growth; lobeira; temperature
