PHYTOTOXIC EFFECT OF AQUEOUS LEAF EXTRACT OF EUPHORBIA HIRTA L.ON SEED GERMINATION AND SEEDLING GROWTH OF SELECTED VEGETABLE CROPS

Euphorbia hirta is a common invasive weed on the road side and waste land which may interfere with crop species due to its allelopathic effect. Aqueous extract of different concentrations (25%, 50% ,75% and 100%) of weed was used to investigate their allelopathic effect on seed germination, root length, shoot length, fresh and dry weight of some vegetable crops such as cucumber, okra and long bean. Leaf extract of E.hirta found to have inhibitory effect on germination and seedling studies. However, maximum inhibition was recorded at higher concentrations (75-100%). Hence to investigate its phytotoxic nature, and identification of allelochemical by FTIR. Results of the FTIR Spectra of the alkanes, alkenes,amides, carboxylic acids,ether, aromatic amines and organic halogen revealed the presence of different functional groups as such as N-H, -O-H, -C-H, -C=O, -C-N, -C-Cl, it could be responsible for the allelochemical properties of the weed plant E.hirta.