Allelopathic effects of Prunus cerasifera on four turfgrass plants

To understand the chemical relationships of Prunus cerasifera with others turfgrass plants, the allelopathic effects of an aqueous extract from different organs and rhizosphere soil of P. cerasifera on seed germination and seedling growth of four turfgrass plants: Trifolium repens, Medicago sativa, Agrostis tenuis, and Lolium perenne, were studied. Seed germination was tested indoors using a biological monitoring method, and seedling growth was tested in a pot experiment. Results indicated that the root, stem, and leaf aqueous extracts of P.cerasifera at 0.05 g·mL-1concentration significantly inhibited(P0.01) seed germination of T. repens with leaf root stem. Leaf litter and rhizosphere soil extracts of P. cerasifera also had a strong inhibition on seed germination of T. Repens. Leaf extracts inhibited seed germination of T. repens and M. Sativa with A.tenuis and L. perenne being promoted at lower concentration and being inhibited at higher concentration. For seedling growth, leaf extracts promoted T. repens and M. sativa, and inhibited A. tenuis and L. perenne. Overall the allelopathic sensitivity was in the order of A. tenuis L. perenne T. repens M. sativa. Additionally,the overall allelopathic sensitivity of M. sativa was positive, but the others were negative. These results provide a basis for allelopathic application of P. cerasifera.