European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

ECO-FRIENDLY WEED CONTROL BY USING LEACHATES OF EUCALYPTUS

Anita Tomar*, Dinesh Kumar, Satya Prakash and Anubha Srivastav

ABSTRACT

In this study leaf extracts of Eucalyptus hybrid, were applied on the nursery beds. Vegetative propagules of Cyperus rotundus, Cynodon dactylon and Dactyloctenium aegyptium were collected and soaked in trays in leaf extracts of Eucalyptus hybrid at 0 to 30% concentration for 12 hours. Significant effect was recorded on all these parameters indicating that the leaf leachate of Eucalyptus has strong influence on plant percent and growth of these weeds when leaf extract is directly applied on the vegetative propagules of weeds or the plant emerging there from. The effect was more severe when higher concentrations of leaf leachates were used. In control, the performance was usually best or on a par with the best treatment. Sprouting, survival, growth and seed production was significantly reduced in the weed species due to application of aqueous extract of Eucalyptus to their vegetative parts. Plant percent was close to sprouting percent indicating that the extracts did not lead to mortality of weed plants. Germination percentage of seed borne on those weed plants was, however, as good as that of seeds borne on untreated plants.

Keywords: Eucalyptus, extract, weeds, leaf leachates.