Allelopathic Effects of Invasive Prosopis juliflora on Grass Species of Potohar Plateau, Pakistan

ABSTRACT The present study was conducted to investigate the allelopathic effects of Prosopis juliflora (Sw.) DC. (Mesquite) on various growth parameters of three promising grass species (Cenchrus ciliaris, Panicum antidotale and Panicum maximum) on the Potohar Plateau, Pakistan, under nursery conditions. The experiment was carried out under a completely randomized design with two factors and three replicates. Different concentrations of the foliage aqueous extract of P. juliflora were prepared and their effect was studied on root length, shoot length, fresh and dry biomass of tested grass species. All grass species showed a concentration dependent inhibition. However, among all grasses, C. ciliaris was affected most severely whereas P. antidotale was the least affected grass species. This indicates an adverse effect of mesquite leaf on grass growth which is directly proportional to the increase in the extraction level of the mesquite leaf. These outcomes suggest that mesquite foliage contains allelochemicals that had inhibitory effect on grass growth.