Argemone ochroleuca Phytochemicals and Allelopathic Effect of Their Extracts on Germination of Soybean

Abstract

Soybean is a high-value food source, and the invasive weeds Mexican prickly poppy (Argemone ochroleuca) could release allelochemicals that inhibit the growth of this crop. The impact of A. ochroleuca on the germination and growth of soybean is not well documented. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the TLC profiles of different extracts of A. ochroleuca and assess the effects of extracts on the germination of soybean seeds. Shoots and roots of A. ochroleuca were weighed and 100 g of each was separately extracted with 1000 mL deionized water, hexane or acetone. Ten concentrations of water extracts ranging from 10 to 100 mL per 100 mL of deionized water and three concentrations of acetone and hexane extracts ranging from 2.5 to 7.5 g/L were separately used for seed germination bioassays. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) analysis was used to compare the chemical profiles in the shoot and root water, and in the hexane and acetone extracts of A. ochroleuca. The highest reduction was recorded from the water extract, at 100%. The TLC profiling of A. ochroleuca addressed different classes of compounds, including alkaloids, phenolic acids and flavanoids. There is, however, a need to identify the most active phytochemicals in the suppression of germination.