TOLERANCE OF CHICKPEA VARIETIES AGAINST ALLELOPATHIC POTENTIAL OF TWO INVASIVE WEEDS COLLECTED FROM THREE LOCATIONS OF KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA PAKISTAN.

Phytotoxicity of two invasive weed species Parthenium hysterophorus L. and Xanthium strumarium L. collected from three different sites viz., Charsadda, Mardan and Peshawar districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were tested against five chickpea varieties in completely randomized design having three replications. The weed species extract revealed highly significant inhibitory effect on chickpea varieties. Among the applied extracts; extract prepared from Parthenium weed collected from Charsadda proved to be more toxic as compared to extracts prepared from other areas, by inhibiting the germination of chickpea to the extent of 91.4%. Maximum and minimum average root weight of 0.56 g and 0.15g among different chickpea varieties was recorded for Peshawar Xanthium and Charsadda Parthenium, respectively. Maximum mean shoot length of 0.29 cm was evident for the control treatment (no extract) whereas minimum mean shoot length of 0.09 cm was observed for chickpea varieties treated involving Charsadda Xanthium. Maximum and minimum mean shoot weight of 2.40 g and 0.77 g were manifested by different chickpea varieties treated by Control (no treatment) and Charsadda Parthenium, respectively. Similarly maximum mean seed vigour index (SVI) of (225.13) was evident for control treatment whereas Extracts from Charsadda Parthenium manifested minimum mean seed vigour index (69.63) in different chickpea varieties under test. It is evident from the results of varietal response of chickpea to common cocklebur (Xanthium strumarium) and parthenium (Parthenium hysterphorus) treatment that chickpea varieties showed tolerance against the phytotoxcity of these invasive weeds. Therefore, it could be used as bio herbicide if it is effective in controlling weeds of chickpea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]