In: Phyton 54, Fasc. 2 (2014): S. 333-342 with 3 figures DOI: 10.12905/0380.phyton54(2)2014-0333

Key words: Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle, Lepidium sativum L., quassinoids, phytotoxic activity, allelopathy.

Summary

Rehorska R., Jamnig J., Pichler G., Lernbeiss J., Müller M. & Pfeifhofer H. W. 2014. Effects of Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle root and leaf extractives on germination, radicle and hypocotyl growth of garden cress (Lepidium sativum L.). – Phyton (Horn, Austria) 54 (2): 333–342, with 3 figures.
Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle, a resilient invasive plant species originating from central Asia, is characterized by a rapid and undemanding growth and became also generally known due to the phytotoxic effects of certain of its secondary metabolites. These so called “Quassinoids”, a group of triterpenoids, are reported to show strong herbicidal effects on a variety of plant species among a wide range of pharmacological properties. Although these phytotoxic effects are extensively studied, a lack of comparability of data occurred due to varying selection sites of plant material, solvents and methods of extraction. In this work we want to introduce an easy reproducible approach to make phytotoxic effects of crude plant extractives, especially from parts of Ailanthus altissima, comparable.
Using a simple and effective bioassay as well as digital imaging and statistical analysis with free downloadable software, we show that crude root extractives of A. altissima inhibit germination, radicle and hypocotyl growth of garden cress (Lepidium sativum L.) far more pronounced than leaf extractives.
Furthermore, radicle growth is more affected than hypocotyl growth in both applications.