Effects of Allelochemicals on Seed Germination and Seedling Antioxidant Enzyme Activity of Chenopodium album

Chenopodium album is a common weed of wheat and other arable crops.Ferulic acid,vanillic acid,theobromine,theophylline,luteolin and quercetin are used to test their allelopathic effects on seed germination,seedling growth and antioxidant enzyme activity of C.album.The present study provides theoretical guidance for the biological control of C.album.Results show that six allelochemicals have significant allelopathic effects on seed germination,seedling growth and the activity of antioxidant enzymes.The effects are obviously related with the concentration and species of allelochemicals.Seed germination of C.album is significantly inhibited under 1 mmol·L-1 of tested allelochemicals except vanillic acid and theobromine,while seed germination is promoted at lower concentrations.Superoxide dismutase(SOD) and catalase(CAT) activities initially have an increasing tendency,followed by a decreasing trendency.Peroxidase(POD) activity shows an opposite trendency with allelochemical(ferulic acid,theophylline,quercetin and luteolin) concentrations increasing.Ferulic acid,theophylline,quercetin and luteolin at 1 mmol·L-1 obviously reduce SOD and CAT activities,while significantly increase POD activity except luteolin.