Is growing buckwheat allelopathic?

The growth repressive effect of common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) on redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus) was studied by separating resource competition from root interactions between the two plant species in a pot trial in the phytotron. In order to verify this result in situ field trials were performed. A strong repression of redroot pigweed growth by buckwheat could be observed independently of shading. However, soil both from the field and phytotron trials in which buckwheat had been growing didn’t have an effect on redroot pigweed and lettuce (Lactuca sativa) growth. Assuming that allelopathic compounds are present in the soil solution supplementary experiments were conducted. Lettuce root length was measured after exposing seeds to different “buckwheat soil” extracts. Moreover, buckwheat and lettuce developed at the same time next to each other in petri dishes. In none of the experiments an influence on lettuce and redroot pigweed development could be observed. We conclude that there are either no allelopathic molecules in the soil solution (not soluble in water) or that they are rapidly degraded. The observed growth inhibiting effect seems to be due to a long term and constant exposure of small quantities of allelopathic molecules. However, it is also possible that growth repression of redroot pigweed by buckwheat is not due to allelopathy.

Abstract licence: CC BY

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