Effects of mesquite (Prosopis juliflora) foliage on the growth of promising grasses of Potohar plateau

The present study was executed to investigate the allelopathic effects of mesquite on different growth parameters of three promising grass species (Cenchrus ciliaris, Panicum antidotale and Panicum maximum) under nursery conditions at Rangeland Research Institute (RRI), National Agricultural Research Center (NARC), Islamabad. The experiment was carried out under randomized complete block design (RCBD) with two factor factorial and three replications. The result showed that higher decline in the grass shoot as well as root length was observed when treated with extract of one kg mesquite leaf boiled in 10 1 tape water for one h. In this treatment, Cenchrus ciliaris attained minimum shoot and root length of 11.90 cm and 3 cm, respectively compared to the shoot and root length of 27.10cm and 6.80cm attained in the controlled treatment of tape water only (p less than 0.05). Similar trend as noticed above in case of shoot and root length was also observed in the fresh as well as dried shoot and root weight of different grass species. Maximum shoot and root fresh weight was observed in Panicum antidotale under the control, whereas Cenchrus ciliaris gave the minimum shoot and root fresh weight with the application of the higher extract of mesquite leaf. In case of dry weight of shoot and root, maximum weight, similar trend as in fresh weight was seen. This implies that the adverse effect of mesquite leaf on grass growth is directly proportional to the increase in the extraction level of the mesquite leaf. These findings suggest that mesquite foliage contains allelochemicals that had inhibitory effect on grass growth. Furthermore, mesquite foliage even at lower concentration played a suppressive role on the performance of the tested grasses. A detailed physiological study may be conducted on the mode of action of different chemicals to help devise management strategy best suited to our rangeland areas infested with mesquite plant.