Allelopathic Effect of Different Plant Extracts on the Germination of Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus) Seeds

Muhammad Zubair¹, Rida Nisar², Muhammad Ishfaq Khan¹, Shumaila Ramazan³, Abdul Muqeet Nawaz⁴, Habib Ur Rehman², Zia Ur Rehman⁴, Muzamil Mahboob Ur Rehman⁴, Hanzla Qasim⁴, Naimat Ullah⁵ and Nasr Ullah Khan⁴*

¹Department of Botany, University of Science and Technology Bannu, Pakistan
²Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Gomal University, Pakistan
³Institute of Food Science and Dietetics, Gomal University, Pakistan
⁴Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Gomal University, Pakistan
⁵Institute of Biological Sciences, Gomal University, Pakistan

*Corresponding Author: : Nasr Ullah Khan, Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Gomal University, Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.

DOI: 10.64258/3068-5532.2025.101007

Submission Date: May 17, 2025

Published Date: June 4, 2025

Download PDF

Abstract

This study investigated the allelopathic effects of different plant extracts on the germination and growth of sunflower (Helianthus annuus) seeds. The experiment was conducted in 2022 at the Institute of Biological Sciences, Gomal University Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan. Sunflower seeds were treated with leaf extracts of Moringa oleifera, Psidium guajava, and Ziziphus mauritiana, with a control group receiving tap water. Both laboratory and field experiments were performed to assess germination, morphological, and physiological parameters such as Germination Index (GI), Germination Percentage (GP%), Seed Vigor Index (SVI), Shoot Length (cm), Root Length (cm), Fresh Shoot weight (gm), Dry Shoot Weight (gm), Fresh Root Weight (gm), Dry Root Weight (gm), Chlorophyll Content of Leaf and Carotenoid content of leaf. Among the treatments, Ziziphus mauritiana leaf extract exhibited the highest germination percentage (73.33%) and germination index (1.93). The seed vigor index was highest in Ziziphus mauritiana (319.7) and Psidium guajava treatments but lowest in Moringa oleifera (88.2) compared to the control. Morphological parameters such as shoot length, fresh and dry shoot weight, fresh and dry root weight were negatively affected by all extracts, whereas root length was enhanced by Ziziphus mauritiana (10.6cm) but reduced by the other extracts. Physiological parameters, including chlorophyll (a, b, and total chlorophyll content) and carotenoid content, were also adversely affected by all treatments. These findings suggest that while Ziziphus mauritiana leaf extract promotes seed germination and root elongation, most plant extracts exhibited inhibitory effects on sunflower seedling growth and physiological traits.

Keywords

Helianthus Annuus; Moringa oleifera; Ziziphus mauritiana; Psidium guajava; Allelopathy

Citation

Citation: Citation: Zubair M, Nisar R, Ishfaq Khan M, Ramazan S, Muqeet Nawaz A, Habib UR, Zia UR, Muzamil MUR, Qasim H, Ullah N, Nasr UK (2025) Allelopathic Effect of Different Plant Extracts on the Germination of Sunflower (Helianthus Annuus) Seeds. Curr Tren Agron & Agric Res 1(2): 1-15.