The Potential of Allelopathy as a Tool for Weed Management in Crop Fields |
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| Authors: | M A Altieri J D Doll |
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| Institution: | 1. Tall Timbers Research Station , Tallahassee , Florida , 32303 , USA;2. Tall Timbers Research Station , Tallahassee , Florida , 32303 , USA;3. Department of Agronomy , University of Wisconsin , Madison , Wisconsin , 53706 , USA |
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| Abstract: | Abstract The increasing emphasis now placed on weed management as opposed to weed control raises the question of the role of allelopathy in agricultural systems. Evidence of allelopathic interactions between crops and weeds is briefly reviewed and two experiments designed to demonstrate the allelopathic effects of plant residues on seed germination are described. From these experiments it can be seen that Tagetes patula, Amaranthus dubius, bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and cassava residues have widespread inhibitory effects on the germination of seeds of other species, while maize, Cenchrus brownii, Eleusine indica and Portulaca oleracea show considerable tolerance to the presence of such residues. Suggestions are made as to how the potential of allelopathy in weed management can be investigated and how the process can be exploited. A considerable quantity of research remains to be done in this area. |
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