This document provides details about a study conducted by Zafar Mehmood to evaluate the allelopathic activity of Parthenium hysterophorus, an invasive weed, on narrow leaf weeds. It introduces Parthenium as an invasive weed with pan-tropical distribution that is damaging crops in Pakistan. The study aims to check the effects of different concentrations of Parthenium aqueous extracts and decomposed soil on the germination and growth of narrow leaf weeds. The methodology describes preparing aqueous extracts at varying concentrations and mixing dried Parthenium material in soil at different levels before decomposition and sowing test seeds. Observations on germination percentage and index will be recorded.

2. Zafar Mehmood

3. Name of student Zafar Mehmood
Qualification M.Sc.(Hons.)Agriculture
Registration number 09-US-AGR-279
Roll number PAGF13E064
Place of research University College of
Agriculture
University of Sargodha
Name of supervisor
Muhammad Ehsan Safdar

4. EVALUATION OF ALLELOPATHIC
ACTIVITY OF PARTHENIUM
(PARTHENIUM HYSTEROPHORUS
L.) ON NARROW LEAF WEEDS

5. INTRODUCTION

6. Parthenium- an invasive weed
 Parthenium hysterophorus L. is known as carrot grass or white top or white head
weed or rag grass in English, commonly known as Parthenium weed in Australia and
Congress grass in India.
 Locally it is known as ‘Chattak Chandani’ and is considered to be an alien invasive
weed spreading throughout Pakistan
(Shabbir and Bajwa., 2007)
 This weed has been included in the Global Invasive Species Database
(GISD., 2010)

7. Origin and Distribution
 Parthenium hysterophorus L. is considered to be of neo-tropical origin that now has a pan-tropical
distribution
(Navie et al., 1996; Mahadevappa,; 1997)
 Neo-tropical zone consists of Central America, South America and Caribbean countries (Barbados, Cuba,
Dominica, Grenada, Haiti and Jamaica).
 A pan-tropical distribution means distribution across the tropics including tropical regions of all of the major
continents, i.e. in Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania (Australia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Fiji Island
etc.).

8. Figure 1. Origin and distribution of parthenium

9. Parthenium invasion in Pakistan
 In Pakistan, the population of this weed has drastically increased throughout country and damaged various
crops in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtukhawa and scientists feared that it will possibly strike many parts of Sindh as
well
(Anonymous,; 2011)
 According to the population of many common medicinal plants growing in the wastelands of Islamabad is
rapidly declining due to the aggressive colonization by Parthenium weed. Moreover, L. camara and P.
hysterophorus are in transitional phase of competition or succession.
(Shabbir and Bajwa,; 2007)

10. Plant Morphology
 Annual or short-lived ephemeral (or, under certain conditions, a short-lived perennial) herb of family
Asteraceae, 30-150 cm tall (Adkins et al., 1996).
 It has deep tap root and an erect stem that becomes woody with age.
 Alternately arranged bisected branched leaves.
 Inflorescence consists of numerous small white-coloured flower-heads (capitula) which are 4 mm across and
are arranged in clusters at the tips of the branches.
 4 to 5 black wedge-shaped 'seeds' (achenes) that are 2 mm long are usually produced in each
flower-head (capitulum).

11. Figure 2. (a) parthenium at initial rossette stage (b) parthenium near maturity
a b

12. Allelopathy
o Allelopathy, from the Latin words allelon ‘of each other’ and pathos ‘to suffer’, refers to the chemical
inhibition of one species by another.
o The term allelopathy refers to any direct or indirect inhibitory effect by the production, of chemicals by
a plant which can influence the growth and development of another plant.
o The source of allelochemicals in agricultural fields may be the weeds, crops or microorganisms.
o It was first reported in alfa-alfa, and the first allelochemical was extracted from walnut.

13. Allelochemicals in Parthenium

14. Allelochemicals Secretion
 Sesquiterpene lactones (parthenin, coronopilin), phenolics (ferulic, vanillic, caffeic, chlorogenic
and anisic acids) are two synergistically acting groups of allelochamicals (Swaminathan et al., 1990;
Singh et al., 2002; Batish et al., 2007; Ambiye and Golatkar, 2010).
 Other groups of allelochamicals including tannins, saponins, cardiac glycosides and steroids have
also been found in aerial parts of parthenium
(Ambiye and Golatkar., 2010)
 Moreover, volatiles from leaves and flowers contain high concentration of terpenoids.

15. Sources of Allelochemicals
Sources
Stem
Leaves &
Flowers
Fruits&
seeds
Roots &
Rhizome

16. Parthenium hazards to agricultural
ecosystems
 Destruction of integrity and biodiversity of natural ecosystems
 Deterioration of pastures
 Despaired quality of animal products
 Health Risk for humans and animals
 Reduction in crop yields

17. Parthenium growing near water channel at research area of
University College of Agriculture, Sargodha, Pakistan

18. Objectives
 I will check the Evaluation of Allelopathic and decomposition activity of Parthenium
hysterophorus on Narrow leaf weeds of germination and seedling at different concentration.
 Weed is a major problem and synthetic herbicide has been used for over 50 year due to
evaluation of resistance in the weeds species. Synthetic herbicides are becoming less effective.
Now eco toxicologists and allelopathy have been trying to indentify allelochemicals to use as a
biodegradable pesticide. Parthenium hysterophorus as many Allelochemicals which can use as a
biodegradable pesticides.
Sadiq et al,;(2013)

19. REVIEW OF LITERATURE

20.  Parthenium hystrophorus as it contain several important chemical constituent mainly saponin,
triterpene (sesquiterpene), histamine and glucosides can be used for bio control of various herbicides
and pathogens.
Kushwaha et al,;(2012)
 Parthenium hysterophorus on seed germination raphanus sativus L. the result showed that if increase
concentration of Parthenium hysterophorus regularly decrease the germination process of raphanus
seed.
Paudel et al,;(2009)
 Parthenium hysterophorus plant has many toxins which are lethal to plants, human beings and
animals. The major component of toxin is Parthenin and other Vanillic acid, Anisic acid, phenolic acid,
sesquiterpene lactones.
Satao et al,;(2014)

21. Allelopathic effect of aqueous extract of leaves of Parthenium hysterophorus on seed germination and seedling
growth three cultivated crucifers and three cereals crops. Seed germination of cereals complete failure was recorded
except maize. The leaves aqueous extract had strong inhibitory effect on shoot elongation in crucifers and root
elongation in cereals.
Maharjan et al,;(2007)
Allelopathic effect of Parthenium hysterophorus on seed germination and seedling growth of Eragrostis tef. Aqueous
extract of flower, stem, root and leaf of Parthenium hysterophorus and different concentration. Aqueous extract from
stem and root had very less or no effect on seed germination. Increasing concentration of leaf and flower aqueous
extract inhibited seed germination and complete failure of seed germination.
Tefera et al,;(2002)
Allopathic effect of Parthenium hysterophorus compost on the lettuce germination and growth. Compost Parthenium
hysterophorus reduce emergence 90-95 %age and radicle and plumule length.
Wakjira et al,;(2009)

22. Material and Method

23.  The experiment will be conducted in the Laboratory of Agronomy University College of Agriculture, University
of Sargodha.
 Experiment will be designed under CRD.
 Grow narrow leaf weeds at different ranges of temperature which begins from 150c, 200c ,250c ,300c ,350c.
 Twenty seeds will be sown in a petriplate and there will be four petriplate should be used for one range of
temperature.
 These petriplates will be kept in germinator for fifteen days and I will observe the readings daily to check the
no. of seeds to germinate in each petriplates.

24. The experiment will be comprised of two parts:
A- Evaluation of different concentrations of aqueous extracts of whole plant of Parthenium
hysterophorus L.
B- Evaluation of decomposed soil of different concentrations of Parthenium hysterophorus L. kept at
room temperature for a specific decomposition period.
Fully grown, mature plants of Parthenium hysterophorus L. will be uprooted along with roots from
field area of University College of Agriculture, University of Sargodha and will be kept at room
temperature for drying. Dried plants will then be chopped into very small pieces of 1 cm.

25. A
To prepare aqueous extract the dried plant material will be dipped in distilled water in the ratio
of 1:20 w/v (on dry weight basis) for a period of 24 hours at room temperature.
 Aqueous extract of Parthenium hysterophorus L. will be obtained by filtering the mixture
through 10 and 60 mesh sieves.

The extract will then be diluted to make concentrations of 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%.
 Pure distilled water will be used as control.

26. Cont.…
So the aqueous extract will comprise six treatments.
T1 = Control (simple distilled water)
T2 = 1% (w/v)
T3 = 2% (w/v)
T4 = 3% (w/v)
T5 = 4% (w/v)
T6 = 5% (w/v)

27. B-
To evaluate decomposition activity of Parthenium hysterophorus L., dried plant material will be
mixed in soil in four different concentrations of 0%, 2%, 4% and 6% (w/w) and will be allowed to
decompose for a period of 30 days at room temperature.
After the decomposition period, seeds of Narrow leaf weeds will be sown in this soil

28. Cont.…
So there will be four treatments of this part of the experiment.
T1 = 0% (w/w) Control (simple soil without plant material)
T2 = 2% (w/w)
T3 = 4% (w/w)
T4 = 6% (w/w)

29. Observations
Data regarding following parameters will be recorded throughout the study by using standard
procedures.
A- Germination Percentage
B- Germination Index

30. Conclusion
 We can control weeds in the cropping system by allelochamicals of Parthenium weed I would
like to help with controlling the weed. This is an issue which affects the whole world, not just for
Pakistan.
 There is need to restrict its further spread and manage it in a planned way with minimum harm
to our environment.

31. References
Khan, M. R., Memon, A., Khan, G. N., Shabbir, M., Saeed, N., Shah, N. A., . . . Rashid, U. (2013).
Protective effects of Digera muricata (L.) Mart. against carbon tetrachloride induced oxidative stress in
thyroid of rat. African Journal of Biotechnology, 10(76), 17564-17570.
Klein, R., & Miller, D. (1980). Allelopathy and its role in agriculture. Communications in Soil Science
& Plant Analysis, 11(1), 43-56.
Marwat, K. B., Hashim, S., & Ali, H. (2010). Weed management: a case study from north-west
Pakistan.
Pak. J. Bot, 42, 341-353. Qureshi, R., & Bhatti, G. (2009). Folklore uses of Amaranthaceae family from
Nara desert, Pakistan. Pak. J. Bot, 41(4), 1565-1572.

32. !!!..THANK YOU…!!!
THE
END