Hostname: page-component-7479d7b7d-rvbq7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-11T05:00:03.952Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Allelopathic Effects of Sweet Potatoes (Ipomoea batatas) on Yellow Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus) and Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 June 2017

Howard F. Harrison Jr.
Affiliation:
Agric. Res. Serv., U.S. Dep. Agric., U.S. Vegetable Lab., 2875 Savannah Hwy., Charleston, SC 29407
Joseph K. Peterson
Affiliation:
Agric. Res. Serv., U.S. Dep. Agric., U.S. Vegetable Lab., 2875 Savannah Hwy., Charleston, SC 29407

Abstract

Greenhouse and laboratory studies were conducted to determine the allelopathic potential of two sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas L. (Lam.)] cultivars, ‘Regal’ and ‘SC 1149-19’. Yellow nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus L. # CYPES) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) plants grown in soil from sweet potato field plots accumulated less dry matter than plants grown in soil from adjacent weedy plots. Growth of yellow nutsedge and alfalfa plants was also reduced when grown in a potting medium containing decomposing sweet potato plants in comparison to plants grown in potting medium alone. When the sweet potato potting medium mixture was incubated at 25 C and tested weekly using an alfalfa growth bioassay, inhibition was high initially but decreased over time and was not observed after a 12-week incubation. Aqueous methanol (50%)-soluble extracts of sweet potato periderm were inhibitory to yellow nutsedge root growth in vermiculite and alfalfa seed germination on filter paper. Regal extracts were inhibitory to yellow nutsedge root growth at a concentration of 2.5 mg periderm extracted/ml, but SC 1149-19 extract was inhibitory only at a concentration eight times higher. Similar differences between cultivars were observed with the alfalfa germination bioassay. Preliminary separation of the Regal periderm extract by paper chromatography indicated the presence of phenolic compounds with a wide range of polarities. Several of these UV-visible compounds were inhibitory to alfalfa germination.

Type
Special Topics
Copyright
Copyright © 1986 by the Weed Science Society of America 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Literature Cited

1. Fay, P. K. and Duke, W. B. 1977. An assessment of the allelopathic potential in Avena germplasm. Weed Sci. 25:224228.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2. Hoagland, D. R. and Arnon, D. I. 1950. The water culture method for growing plants without soil. Calif. Agric. Exp. Stn. Serv. Manual 35. 143 pp.Google Scholar
3. Leather, G. R. 1983. Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) are allelopathic to weeds. Weed Sci. 31:3742.Google Scholar
4. Lockerman, R. H. and Putnam, A. R. 1981. Mechanism for differential interference among cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) accessions. Bot. Gaz. 142:427430.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5. Mabry, T. J., Markham, K. R., and Thomas, M. B. 1970. Pages 415 in The systematic identification of flavonoids. Springer-Verlag, New York.Google Scholar
6. Putnam, A. R. and Duke, W. B. 1974. Biological suppression of weeds; evidence for allelopathy in accessions of cucumber. Science 185:370372.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7. Putnam, A. R. and Duke, W. B. 1978. Allelopathy in agroecosystems. Annu. Rev. Phytopathol. 16:431451.Google Scholar
8. Ribéreau-Gayon, P. 1964. Pages 6578 in Plant Phenolics. Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh.Google Scholar
9. Rice, E. L. 1984. Pages 6778 in Allelopathy. Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
10. Steinbauer, C. E. and Kushman, L. J. 1971. Sweet potato culture and diseases. Agric. Handb. No. 388. Agric. Res. Serv., U.S. Dep. Agric. 74 pp.Google Scholar
11. Taylorson, R. B. 1967. Some properties of a growth inhibitor in Ipomoea . Proc. South. Weed Sci. Soc. 19:370.Google Scholar
12. Villamayor, F. G. Jr. and Perez, R. D. 1983. Sweet potato as a weed control agent for cassava. The Radix. 5:1011.Google Scholar