INHIBITION OF SALVINIA (SALVINIA-MOLESTA MITCHELL) BY PARTHENIUM (PARTHENIUM-HYSTEROPHORUS L) .1. EFFECT OF LEAF RESIDUE AND ALLELOCHEMICALS

Parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus L.) leaf residue (LP, leaf powder) inhibited salvinia (Salvinia molesta Mitchell) biomass and the number of healthy fronds at 0.25% (w/v) and killed the treated plants at and above 0.75% (w/v) in about 5-15 days, depending on the quantity of the residue. At the lethal dose, the LP caused an abrupt desiccation of above-water plant parts, probably due mainly to root dysfunction. This was concurrent with the loss of dehydrogenase activity in, and an increase in solute leakage from, the roots and loss of chlorophyll a, b, and total chlorophyll contents in the fronds, resulting in death of the treated plants. The LP appears inhibitory to salvinia through affecting macromolecules-proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. The inhibitory activity of LP at the lethal dose suspended in water was completely lost when allowed to stand for 30 days under outdoor conditions and promoted growth of the salvinia plants placed in it, The standard allelochemicals, including those present in parthenium LP, except parthenin and p-hydroxybenzoic acid, did not inhibit growth up to 100 ppm. However, parthenin and p-hydroxybenzoic acid killed salvinia plants at 100 and 50 ppm, respectively. Since p-hydroxybenzoic acid is unlikely to be present at such a high concentration, parthenin appears to be one of the main allelochemicals responsible for the inhibitory effect of parthenium leaf residue on salvinia.