Effect of leaf and bark aqueous extract of Anogeissus latifolia on growth performance of Vigna unguiculata

doi:10.4236/as.2011.24055

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Vol.2, No.4, 432-434

doi:10.4236/as.2011.24055

(2011) Agricultural Sciences

Effect of leaf and bark aqueous extract of Anogeissus

latifolia on growth performance of Vigna unguiculata

Jahangeer A. Bhat, Munesh Kumar*, Bhupendra Singh

Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Uttarakhand, India;

*Corresponding Aut hor: [email protected]

Received 6 September 2011; revised 17 October 2011; accepted 27 October 2011.

ABSTRACT

The present study was carried out to assess the

effect of leaf and bark aqueous extract of Ano-

geissus latifolia tree on Vigna unguiculata tradi-

tional crop to understand the suitability of tree-

crop combination in agricultural fields. Different

concentra tions of le af (1%, 3% and 5 % ) and bark

(1%, 3% and 5%) aqueous extract of A. latifolia

were used to study radicle and plumule growth

of V. unguiculata. The leaf and bark aqueous

extract have shown minimum allelopathic effect

on V. unguiculata and suppressed/stimulated

radicle and plumule growth under different con-

centrations. The wide distribution of A. latifolia

in a sub-tropical region of Garhwal Himalaya,

provides good fodder fuel wood and timber to

the villagers. Therefore introducing Anogeissus

latifolia in agricultural field and maintaining the

existed trees at boundaries of agricultural fields

can be useful to the villagers requirements and

wherever the possible allopathic effect exit can

be minimized by lopping the branches of trees

and use of naturally flecked off bark for fuel

wood purposes.

Keywords: Aqueous Extract; Bark; Leaf; Radicle

and Plumule; Growth

1. INTRODUCTION

Allelopathy is a biological phenomenon by which an

organism produces one or more chemicals that influence

the growth, survival and reproduction of nearby species.

These chemicals are known as allelochemicals and can

have beneficial (positive allelopathy) or detrimental (ne-

gative allelopathy) effects on the target species.

Anogeissus latifolia Wall ex Bedd., belongs to the

family combretaceae [1]. This is a tree of tropical and

subtropical climatic regions; it grows throughout the

sub- Himalayan tract up to an altitude of 1200 m above

mean sea level (masl) in central India and a large part of

the Indian Peninsula hills at an elevation of about 1200

m [2,3]. It grows with the association of moist Shiwalik

Sal forests, dry Shiwalik Sal forests, southern dry mixed

deciduous forests, dry peninsular Sal forests and north-

ern dry mixed deciduous for ests [4]. It is one of the most

useful trees in India. Its leaves contain large amounts of

tannin which is used in India. The trees are the source of

Indian gum which is also known as ghatti gum, and is

used for calico printing. The leaves are fed by Antheraea

paphia moth which produces the tassar silk used for

commercial importance. Chemically leaves, bark and

heartwood yield quinic and shikmik acids; leaves con-

tain gallotannin (90% - 95% of the tannins). The young

leaves and shoots contain 50% tannins (dry basis). The

bark contains 12% - 18% tannins. Heartwood contains

gallic acid, ellagic acid, its derivatives, quercetinand-

myricetin. The gum is mainly th e calcium salt of a com-

plex, high molecular weight polysaccharic acid (ghattic

acid).

Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp (cowpea) is cultivated

over more than nine million hectares in tropical area, in

the Mediteranean basin and in the United States [5].

Worldwide, it is estimated that 37 million tones are an-

nually produced [6]. Cowpea is a source of high quality

protein which contained adequate levels of most essen-

tial amino acids for children and all essential amino ac-

ids for adults. The digestibility of cowpea is higher than

the other common legumes [7].

In the sub-tropical region of Garhwal Himalaya, A.

latifolia is growing in the forest areas and closed to ag-

ricultural fields, because most of the agriculture land is

closed to forest area and people are using this tree for

various daily needs as a multipurpose tree. The closeness

of this tree in agriculture fields, shed their leaves espe-

cially in deciduous period and lead to deposi- tion of leaf

litter and naturally flecked off bark in agri- culture land.

Literature revealed that no studies have been reported so

far on the effect of leaf and bark of A. latifolia on any

agriculture crops in this sub-tropical region of Garhwal

J. A. Bhat et al. / Agricultural Sciences 2 (2011) 432-434

433433

Himalaya. Therefore, the attempt was made with the

objective to find out the effect of leaf and bark aqueous

extract of A. latifolia on radicle and plumule growth of V.

unguiculata

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS

The samples of mature leaves and naturally flecked

off bark were collected from middle age growing trees

from natural condition and brought to the experimental

laboratory of Department of Forestry and Natural Re-

sources, HNB Garhwal University, Srinagar Garhwal

(30˚13'N latitude and 78˚48'E longitude) at an elevation

of 550 m above sea level. The collected samples were

Sun dried for 10 days/or required till complete moisture

loss from the samples and ground to a fine powder sepa-

rately in a mechanical grinder. The powder was passed

through 1.5 mm mesh and weighed to 1 g, 3 g and 5 g

(leaf and bark) and transferred to well labelled conical

flask and 100 ml of double distilled water was added to

each flask. The dilution extracts were filtered through

Whatman No. 1 filter paper to get aqueous extracts of

1%, 3%, and 5% solutions and the flasks were left for 48

hours at room temperature (25˚C ± 2˚C). The effects of

aqueous extract (leaf and bark) on radicle and plumule

growth of Vigna unguiculata was tested by placing 20

seeds in Petri dishes (15 cm diameter) with three repli-

cates for each concentration. The seeds were germinated

on filter paper soaked in the aqueous leaf and bark ex-

tract of different concentrations at 25˚C ± 2˚C in labora-

tory, while distilled water was used for co ntrol treatment.

Moisture in the Petri dishes was maintained by adding

aqueous extracts or distilled water as required.

3. RESULTS AND DIS CUSSION

The results of present study showed that the highest

radicle length (9.61 ± 0.98 cm) of Vigna unguiculata in

leaf aqueous extract was in 5% concentration followed

by 3% (8.11 ± 1.25 cm) and 1% (7.21 ± 0.41 cm). The

radicle length increased with increasing concentration of

leaf aqueous extract (Table 1), which was comparatively

higher than the control (5.71 ± 0.65). Similarly the plu-

mule growth of V. unguiculata in the leaf aqueous ex-

tract reduced with increasing concentration. The highest

length of plumule was 8.55 ± 1.43 cm (1%), followed by

7.77 ± 3.67 cm (3%) and 7.16 ± 0.73 cm (5%). The

plumule growth compared to control was higher in 1%

leaf aqueous extract and lower in 3% and 5% leaf aque-

ous extract

In bark aqueous extract radicle growth reduced with

increasing aqueous concentration as 6.05 ± 0.94 cm

(1%), 5.59 ± 0.39 cm (3%) and 4.56 ± 1.14 cm (5%).

However, the results of plumule length was reverse than

the radicle length in bark aqueous extract, which in-

creased with increasing aqueous concentration as 7.19 ±

0.54, 7.51 ± 1.56 and 9.18 ± 0.40 cm for 1%, 3% and 5%

respectively (Table 1).

The reduction percentages of radicle and plumule

lengths were estimated in the leaf and bark aqueous ex-

tract compared with control. The radicle length in all the

concentrations of leaf and 1% concentrations of bark

was stimulated however 3% and 5% of aqueous extract

of bark suppressed its growth (Figure 1). Similarly 5%

concentration of bark and 1% concentration of leaf

stimulated plumule growth and other concentrations of

leaf and bark suppressed it (Figure 1).

Most published work has revealed that foliage

leachates are a potent source of toxic metabolites and

their toxic effects are species specific [8-10]. But our

study reveals that leaf aqueous extract stimulate the

growth of radicle compared to control, with increase in

the percentage of aqueous extract concentration, the

radicle growth increased however the bark extract showed

decrease in growth of plumule with increased in the

aqueous extract concentration of solution. The plumule

Table 1. Radicle and plumule growth of V. unguiculata in

aqueous extract of A. latifolia.

Concentration Radicle (cm) Plumule (cm)

Control 5.71 ± 0.65 7.81 ± 1.11

Leaf 1% 7.21 ± 0.41 8.55 ± 1.43

Leaf 3% 8.11 ± 1 .25 7.77 ± 3.67

Leaf 5% 9.61 ± 0.98 7.16 ± 0.73

Bark 1% 6.05 ± 0. 94 7.19 ± 0.54

Bark 3% 5.59 ± 0. 39 7.51 ± 1.56

Bark 5% 4.56 ± 1. 14 9.18 ± 0.40

Figure 1. Reduction/stimulation percentage of radicle and plu-

mule growth over control (L—Leaf and B—bark).

J. A. Bhat et al. / Agricultural Sciences 2 (2011) 432-434

434

[4] Champion, H.G. and Seth, S.K. (1968) A revised survey

of the forest types of India. Manager of Publications,

Delhi, 1968.

growth increased by the bark extracts as the increase in

concentration of solution the growth of plumule in-

creased. Overall the effect of bark and leaf aqueous ex-

tract showed minimum inhibitory effect to the growth of

radicle and plumule of Vigna un g ui c ul ata.

[5] Guigaz, M. (2002) Memento de l’agronume. Eds de

CIRAD-CRET Ministère des affaires étrangères, Paris,

69-872.

[6] Langyintuo, A.S., Lowenbrg-Deboer, J., Faye, M., Lam-

bert, D., Ibro, G., Moussa, B., Kergna, A., Kushwaha, S.,

Musa, S. and Ntoukam, G. (2003) Cowpea supply and

demand in West and Central Africa. Field Crops Re-

search, 82, 215-231.

doi:10.1016/S0378-4290(03)00039-X

4. CONCLUSIONS

The study concludes that both leaf and bark extract

have minimum allelopathic effect on Vigna unguiculata

which suppressed/stimulate both radicle and plumule

growth. Although, keeping in view the multipurpose

value of Anogeissus latifolia tree for the requirement of

villagers, the tree should be preferred in agricultural

fields. The branches of the tree can be used as fodder

and the bark for fuel wood to reduce the alleopathic ef-

fect to V. unguiculata and other a gri cu ltural crops.

[7] Alessandra, R., Karina, S., Patricia, S., Marcelo, S.N.,

Gilberto, B.D., Sergio, T.F. and Cristiana, P. (2004)

Biological evaluation of a protein isolate from cowpea

(Vigna unguiculata) seeds. Food Chemistry, 87, 491-499.

doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2003.12.023

[8] May, F.E. & Ash, J.E. (1990) An assessment of the al-

lelopathic potential of Eucalyptus. Australia Journal Bo-

tany, 38, 245-254.

[9] Bhatt, B.P., Chauhan, D.S. & Todaria, N.P. (1993) Phy-

totoxic effects of tree crops on germination and radicle

extension of some food crops. Tropical Science, 33,

69-73.

REFERENCES

[1] Luna, R.K. (2005) Plantation trees. International Book

Distributor, Dehradun. [10] Todaria, N.P., Singh, B. & Dhanai, C.S. (2005) Allelo-

pathic effects of tree leachate on germination and seed-

ling growth of field crops. Allelopathy Journal, 15, 285-

294.

[2] Rodger, A. (1913) Note on dhaura of bakli (Anogeissus

latifolia wall.). Bulletin, Calcutta Superintendent Govern-

ment Printing, Calcutta, 21, 15.

[3] Troup, R.S. (1921) The silviculture of Indian trees. Clar-

endon Press, Oxford, 1-3.

Openly accessible at