Phytotoxic activity of the methanol leaves extract of <i>Paullinia pinnata</i> (Linn.)

Abstract

There is the need for weed management and control through allelopathy since the use of synthetic herbicides affects and is hindered by various factors which include herbicide-resistant weed populations, deleterious effects on non-target as well as soil and water pollution. Paullinia pinnata leaves are employed traditionally for the treatment of various ailments and as fish poison, and may also have herbicidal effects. To investigate this, possible phytotoxic property of the leaves of P. pinnata was explored and this is the aim of this study. The activity of the extract against the growth of Lemna minor was used to investigate the phytotoxic activity. The activity of the methanol extract of P. pinnata leaves against Lemna minor increased in a dose- dependent manner and was significant at 1000 μg/ml. Therefore, the methanol leaves extract of P. pinnata exhibited significant phytotoxic activity.

Keywords: Paullinia pinnata, Lemna minor, phytotoxicity