Crop Biosafety: Evaluation of Erythrophleum suaveolens (Brenan) Leaves Extracts Phytotoxicity on the Germination and Growth Characteristics of Maize (Zea mays L.)

This study aims to evaluate the phytotoxicity effect in Erythrophleum suaveolens leaves extracts on germination and growth of Oba 98, Oba super 6, Samaz 52 and Sanaz 37 maize seeds varieties obtained from Abuja, Nigeria. The maize seeds were subjected to treatment with exposure to methanol and water extract of E. suaveolens in different concentrations of 100, 10 and 1% respectively. A control group was set up without treatment. Both treated and untreated seeds were planted in petri-dish in the laboratory and their germination and growth were monitored for 8 days. Germination was only experienced with the 1% methanol of the E. Suaveolens with a mean germination percentage of 33.33±28.87, mean radical length (mm) of 24.67±24.03 and mean plumule length (mm) of 13.33±12.22 treated Oba98 seeds. All other maize seeds germination was inhibited by the extracts used for the treatment. The control group germination and growth were not inhibited. The extract treatment shows a significant relationship with the three (3) parameters; germination percentage, radical and plumule length with F(6, 84) =7.833, 9.688 and 8.567 respectively at p<0.05. E. suaveolens extract demonstrated allelopathic and phytotoxicity characteristics by inhibiting the germination and growth of maize seeds after 8 days of planting. This study clearly shows that E. suaveolens demonstrated allelopathic characteristics by inhibiting the germination and growth of maize seeds after 8 days of planting. Therefore, it could be said to have a phytotoxic effect on Zea mays.