World Journal of
Pharmaceutical and Life Sciences

INHIBITORY EFFECT OF AQUEOUS LEAF EXTRACT OF BANDOTAN (Ageratum conyzoides) AGAINST THE GROWTH OF RED CHILLI (Capsicum annuum)

Martha Lulus Lande, Zulkifli, Maria Reni Harnani and Mohammad Kanedi*

ABSTRACT

Bandotan (Ageratum conyzoides L.) is known as a very invasive weed. Wherever the weed was found, it showed inhibitory effects against plant crops and led to significant ecological and economic impacts. However, among the crop plants, bird’s eye chilli (Capsicum frutescens), instead, showed inhibitory activities against A.conyzoides. In order to determine whether the chilli plants resistant to bandotan allelopathy, bandotan leaf extract was tested against the growth of red chilli (Capsicum annuum). By using completely randomized design, 25 red chilli plants were grouped into five consist of 5 plants each. Each plant was grown individually in a poly bag containing mixture of soil and compost in a ratio of 2:1. Group 1 is the chillies given 0% (v/v) bandotan leaf extract as the control. Group 2, 3, 4 and 5 are the plants treated with extract at the concentration of 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% respectively. After treatment for one week the chillies are harvested and all the study parameters namely plant height, fresh and dry weight, and concentration of chlorophyll were assessed. The results showed, plant height of red chillies significantly decreased by the extract of 50% or higher. The fresh and dry weight of red chillies was significantly decreased by treatment of extract above 25%. However, crude water extract of bandotan showed no significant effects on the concentration of chlorophyll a and b as well as the total chlorophyll. Given red chilli that treated with crude leaf extract of bandotan showed the decrease in plant height and weight it can be concluded that A.conyzoides containing suppressive allelochemicals against red chili plants. These facts assert Capsicum annuum does not resistant to inhibitory activities of the A.conyzoides allelopathy.

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