A STUDY OF DIFFERENT PARAMETERS OF OSMOTIC POTENTIAL COMPARED WITH WEED (CHENOPODIUM ALBUM) ON WHEAT AND CHICKPEA CROP

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of osmotic pressure on germination and radicle growth of two test species wheat and chickpea along with the aqueous extract of different concentration of weed (Chenopodium album L.). In the first experiment two test crops were treated with the weed extract in the concentration of 1%, 3% and 5% while in the second experiment four levels of osmotic pressure (22 kpa, 33 kpa, 44 kpa, 66 kpa) were created artificially using mannitol and treated the seeds of two test crops. This study focus that the responses of seeds or seedling to plant extract is not only or entirely by allelopathy the possibilities also exist that the extract may also exert negative osmotic effect. Results showed that germination percentage was not affected by osmotic pressure as compared to weed extract. However, the radicle elongation of both species was significantly reduced in similar concentration of weed extract. Generally the aqueous extracts were more effective in inhibition of seed germination, radicle growth and percent inhibition in radicle growth as compared to the mannitol solution. Results suggested that aqueous extract of C. album had an allelopathic effect on wheat and chick pea and osmotic pressure play little effect as C. album is concerned.