IDENTIFYING THE HERMETIC POTENTIAL OF KHATAMI (ALTHEAE OFFICINALIS) EMERGENCE AND SEEDLING GROWTH OF WILD PEA (PISUM SATIVUM SUBSP. ELATIUS).

Plants release biochemicals into surrounding environment that act as bioherbicide at high concentration and plant growth hormone at low concentration. Therefore, this study was planned at the Department of Agronomy in Weed Science Laboratory, University of Agriculture Faisalabad during Winter 2018 to evaluate the allelopathic effects of A. officinalis on weed Wild Pea (Pisum sativum subsp. elatius). The experiments were laid out under completely randomized design (CRD) having three replications. The aqueous extracts of C. verum. were used on radish and wild pea seeds at different concentrations (2.5%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 40% and 80%). Data regarding seed germination and seedling growth (shoot length, root length, shoot fresh weight, root dry weigh) of weed were recorded following standard procedures. Results Reveals that the aqueous extract of A. officinalis at higher concentration (80%) act as bioherbicide and produced inhibitory effects on R. sativus result in Maximum time to 50% germination (6.70 days) and mean germination time (10.00 days) while minimum germination index (4.70), germination percentage (66.60%), shoot length (49.8 cm), root length (8.16 cm), shoot fresh weight (10.00g) and root fresh weight (10.361g). While at lower concentration (10%) it shows hermetic effect and produce maximum germination percentage (90.00%), shoot length (84.7 cm), root length (66.2 cm), shoot fresh weight (82.20 g), root fresh weight (58.30 g) and germination index (8.21%) minimum time to complete 50% germination (4.33 days) and mean germination time (5.49 days) growth. In A. officinalis among different phenolic compound minimum Syringic acid (0.60%) and maximum Quercetion (12.3%) compound was found. Therefore, it was concluded from this study that aqueous extract of officinalis can be used as growth promoter at lower concentration as well as at higher concentration for environmentally friendly control of weeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]