Evaluation of Herbicidal efficiency of Withania somnifera L Dunal for Weed and Fungal Management in Lower Himalaya

Abstract

newline xviii newlineABSTRACT newlineWeed management through biological control is the deliberate use of natural product and newlineplant extracts of natural materials to suppress the growth or reduce the population of a newlineproblem weed species. The weeds are becoming dominant throughout the world for crop newlinemanagement. Another major problem for agriculture is harmful fungi that invades crops and newlineare pathogenic to humans. Withania somnifera (L.) belonging to family Solanaceae, is one of newlinethe important perennial medicinal crops in Himalayan region. The major biochemical newlineconstituents of Withania are steroid alkaloids, withanolides and several sitoindosides in root, newlinestem and leaves. Leaves exhibit anti-inflammatory, antitumor and anti-oxidant properties newlinewhereas roots are prescribed for gynec disorders, bronchitis, arthritis, rheumatism, newlineinflammation, fevers, and skin diseases. Withania somnifera contain many phytotoxic newlinechemical substances to suppress the emergence and growth of other plants specially weeds to newlineprovide a natural environmentally sound plant protection method. In the present study newlineherbicidal efficiency of Withania somnifera was tested against a prominent weed of Himalaya newlineCannabis sativa and widely cultivated crops Hordeum vulgare and Cicer arietinum. newlineAntifungal activity of Withania was also tested against Fusarium oxysporum and Rosellinia newlinenecatrix. Wood ash and glyphosate were also tested for assessment of its herbicidal activity newlineagainst similar plants and fungi. The results revealed that Withania leaf extract and wood ash newlineshowed the maximum effect on the growth parameters of weed and studied fungus. Further to newlineprepare an effective herbicidal formulation, eleven combinations were prepared from varied newlineconcentration of Withania leaf extract, wood ash and Distilled water and were tested against newlinestudied plants and fungi. The combinations were i.e. formulation I (Withania leaf extract newline100%)), formulation II (75:25 concentration (Withania leaf extract: Distilled water)), newlineformulation III (50:50 concentration (Withania leaf extract: Distilled water), formulation IV newline(25:75 concentration (Withania leaf extract: Distilled water)), formulation V (75:25 newlineconcentration (Withania leaf extract: Wood ash)), formulation VI (50:50 concentration newline(Withania leaf extract: Wood ash)), formulation VII (25:75concentration (Withania leaf newlineextract: Wood ash)), formulation VIII (Wood ash 100%)), formulation IX (75:25 newlineconcentration (Wood ash: Distilled water)), formulation X (50:50 concentration (Wood ash: newlineDistilled water)), formulation XI (25:75concentration (Wood ash: Distilled water)). The newlineresults have shown that formulation V (75:25 concentration (Withania leaf extract: Wood newlineash)) showed maximum reduction in the seed germination and seedling growth of weed and newlinefungus. However, a very little effect has been shown in the growth of studied crops. The newlinexix newlinestudy proposed this formulation for the commercialization as it is easy, cheap and effective newlineagainst weed and safe against crops. newlineKeywords: Weed, fungus, Withania somnifera, herbicidal formulation, wood ash, newlineglyphosate.