Allelopathic potential of Sesbania grandiflora Pers. on germination of Cajanus cajan Millsp. (Redgram) varieties

In the present study, the leaf extracts of Sesbania grandiflora Pers. showed inhibitory effects on seed germination, plumule length, radicle length, fresh and dry weight in redgram (Cajanus cajan Millsp. var. Vamban 2 and Cajanus cajan var. Vamban 3). The allelopathic effect of leaf extracts of S. grandifloradecreased the seed germination of Cajanus cajan var. Vamban 2 and var.Vamban 3 with increase of extracts concentration. The extracts also inhibited the plumule and radicle length of Cajanus cajan var. Vamban 2 and var. Vamban 3 seedlings with increase of S. grandiflora extracts concentration. The result revealed that the inhibitory and stimulatory effect may be due to the presence of these allelochemicals like sterols, saponins, phenols and tannins etc., in the aqueous leaf extracts of S. grandiflora from the present investigation.