Allelopathic interactions between wheat, selected crop species and the weed Lolium multiflorum x perenne

Abstract

No information is available on the role of allelopathy in crop rotation systems of the Western Cape Province of South Africa, where more than 100 000 ha are under threat from herbicide-resistant rye grass. A study which investigated the use of allelopathic properties for the suppression of rye grass hybrid type (Lolium multiflorum x perenne) was undertaken. These objectives were accomplished by: a) exploring the use of allelopathic properties of crop residues for rye grass suppression; b) evaluation of the role of allelopathy from seeds, seedlings, roots and above-ground plant material of rotational crops; c) assessing the distribution of genetic and morphological variability of rye grass and d) determining the interactions among micro-organisms and allelopathic root leachates from rotational crops and rye grass. In the field trials, growth inhibitory or stimulatory effects were observed on crops exposed to the residues of others. Medic suppressed the weed type rye grass. The radicle length of rye grass was inhibited by seed leachates from wheat and lupine. Growth inhibition from lupine seed and seedling leachates was evident in rye grass radicle length and cumulative germination percentage. Morphologically, 50% of the total number of specimens was classified as rigid rye grass, 48% as the hybrid, namely L. multiflorum x perenne and 2% as perennial rye grass. The wide genetic and morphological variation detected in rye grass may be due to high genotypic plasticity and hybridisation for producing the weed type L. multiflorum x perenne. The faster growth rate of rye grass on Langgewens soil treated with barley root leachates was revealed by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) as a probable association with growth-promoting soil micro-organisms. Crop cultivars and weeds may modify the soil micro-organism populations to their advantage and to the disadvantage of other species by the release of root exudates that apparently differ in composition between plant species. The effect on microbial communities varied with source of exudates and between soils.