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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2017, Vol. 26 ›› Issue (2): 136-145.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2016303

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Effect of coumarin on Italian ryegrass seed germination and seedling growth

YAO Dan-Dan, WANG Jing-Yi, ZHOU Qian, TANG Qian, ZHAO Guo-Qi, WU Cai-Xia*   

  1. College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
  • Received:2016-08-17 Online:2017-02-20 Published:2017-02-20

Abstract: To study the mechanism of allelopathy, the effects of coumarin on Italian ryegrass seed germination and seedling growth were evaluated in a sand-culture experiment. Compared with the control, coumarin treatment significantly (P<0.05) reduced the germination rate, root length, root dry weight, stem length, stem dry weight, and leaf dry weight of Italian ryegrass. The seedlings treated with coumarin showed significantly decreased indole acetic acid oxidase activity and lower chlorophyll content, compared with those in the control. The coumarin treatment also significantly (P<0.05) increased the water soluble carbohydrate content and protein concentration in seeds on days 4 and 6, increased catalase activity and starch content, and decreased peroxidase activity in Italian ryegrass seedlings during the early growth period. The results showed that an aqueous coumarin solution at a concentration of 100 μg/mL could control Italian ryegrass seed germination and seedling growth at the early stage, but it did not have a lethal effect. Coumarin inhibited endosperm function, disrupted the nutrient supply for seed germination, and destroyed cell membranes and cell walls in the endosperm, possibly leading to plasmolysis with water loss from cells.