SUSCEPTIBILITY OF Glycine max (L.) MERR.TO THE CRUDE WATER EXTRACT FROM THE LEAVES OF Tithonia diversifolia (HEMSL.) A. GRAY UNDER NURSERY CONDITIONS

Abstract

The growth and performance of Glycine max (L.) Merr. (variety T.G.X.1448-2E) under nursery conditions were studied using the crude water extract from leaves ofTithoniadiversifolia (Hemsl.) A. Gray as treatments at varying concentrations. The phytotoxic effects of the extracts from leaves of T. diversifoliawere studied on seed germination, plant height, dry weight (biomass) and yield of Glycine max.The field experiment was carried out at LAT. N07⁰26’35.6”; LONG.E003⁰53’46.3”and elevation 205m to 207m. Twenty experimental hips of height 0.4 metres each were constructed separately one metre apart from one another in rectangular piece of land of 9m x 8m cleared plotand laid out in a Completely Randomized Block Design (CRBD) with total of five treatments in quadruple for the treatments namely: 100% w/v crude extract (T₁), 50% w/v crude extract (T₂), 25%w/v crude extract (T₃), 12.5%w/v crude extract (T₄) and Control (T₅) which was 6 litres equivalent of water. The degree of the susceptibility of G.max to the phytotoxicity was significant. Significant retarded growth was obtained for all the treatments T₁, T₂, T₃ and T₄ at 95% confidence interval. 100%w/v crude extract (T₁) showed the highest level of significance on stem height and girth (P≤0.05). Biomass and yield showed no significant effect on any of these treatments. This studies revealed that the phytotoxins in leaves of T. diversifolia was inhibitory to the performance and growth of this economic crop.