Chaudhuri Anwesa and Ray Sanjib
The aim of this study was to determine the effective allelopathic (inhibitory) extract fractions of Ampelocissus latifolia leaf along with preliminary phytochemical screening and to correlate allelopathy with the quantity and quality of total phenolics and with extraction solvent’s polarity index. Five extract fractions were prepared using soxhlet apparatus by sequentially passing organic solvents with increasing polarity through the fixed amount of dried leaf powder and the extract fractions were designated as PEEF (petroleum ether extract fraction), CEF (chloroform extract fraction), EAEF (ethyl acetate extract fraction), MEF (methanolic extract fraction) and finally AEF (aqueous extract fraction) that was collected after boiling in water bath. Comparative allelopathic inhibitory activity of the extract fractions was studied using wheat seedlings and correlated with the qualitative phytochemical analysis and the total phenolics content. Data indicate varied degree of allelopathic potentials of the different extract fractions. Here, MEF showed the highest degree of wheat root growth retardation where PEF showed the least effect. Treatment with the different extract fractions resulted in 73.06, 57.54, 32.33, 10.78 and 4.74% wheat root growth inhibition respectively for MEF, EAEF, CEF, AEF and PEF at a concentration 2 mg / ml for 72 h. Phytochemical analysis revealed that the MEF contains the highest quantity of polyphenolics as compared with the other extract fractions. The present study suggests that A. latifolia is very rich in phytochemicals and the allelopathic action increased with the solvent polarity upto methanol in the successive extraction procedure. The MEF also exerts strong allelopathic action which positively correlates with the highest amount of polyphenolic content. Therefore A. latifolia leaf polar solvent extracts may be considered as a source of bio-herbicides.
