Aqueous extracts from aerial part of black mucuna (Stilozobium aterrimum Piper & Tracy), striped mucuna (Stilozobium sp), Crotalaria juncea L., Crotalaria spectabilis Roth., guandu (Cajanus cajan (L.) Druce) and dwarf guandu (Cajanus cajan) were prepared with the objective of studying the allelopathic potential of these species, broadly used as cover plants, on lettuce seeds (test plant) and aquenes of Bidens pilosa L.. The experiments were carried out at the Seed Analysis Laboratory of the Lavras Federal University in April, 2003. The germination speed index (GSI) and the final germination percentage were evaluated. There was significant reduction for the lettuce's final germination only for the aqueous extract of Crotalaria juncea. For the other species there was germination reduction trend, however there was not any estatistical difference for the treatment with distilled water. The lettuce's GSI was significantly reduced for the treatments with aqueous extracts of Crotalaria juncea, guandu, striped mucuna and black mucuna. Althoug the other species had a trend in reducing GSI, there was not statistical difference compared to the check. In the experiment with Bidens pilosa the final germination was similar to the experiment with lettuce, with significant reduction only for the treatment with Crotalaria juncea, however for GSI there was only significant reduction for the black mucuna, with reduction trend for the treatments with the other species, but there was not statistical difference compared to the check.
Cover plants; green manuring; allelopathy; Bidens pilosa
