Allelopathic potential of Acacia confusa and related species in Taiwan

Abstract

Acacia confusa (an endemic species) and other introduced species, namely A. aulacocarpa, A. auricumiforms, A. cincinnata, A. crassicarpa, A. leptocarpa, A. margium, A. polystachya, and A. torfilis were evaluated for allelopathic potential. Among these, A. confusa is widely distributed on the hills and lowlands of Taiwan and often exhibits a unique pattern of weed exclusion under stands. Four study sites were selected. Field observations and measurements were carded out at sites that exhibited relatively pure stands of A. confusa. Although the diversity of understory species was comparatively higher in Acacia stands than in adjacent weedy sites, the total coverage and biomass of understory plants was significantly lower than in control sites. Aqueous extracts (0.5%, 1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, and 5%0) of dry leaves and litter of Acacia confusa and other species collected from various sites and dates were bioassayed using lettuce, alfalfa, and Chinese cabbage to examine their phytotoxicity. Most extracts exhibited phytotoxicity even at a concentration as low as 0.5%. Inhibition of radicle growth of test plants varied with sampling sites and dates. Bioassay with 5% extracts or above produced more than 85% inhibition of test plants regardless of habitat. In addition, surface soils collected from the upper 20 cm layer of Acacia stands revealed significant inhibition as compared with adjacent grassland control soils. The most inhibitory compounds isolated from the ether fraction of aqueous extracts were identified as: ferulic, vanillic, caffeic, gallic, m- hydroxybenzoic, and m-hydroxyphenylacetic acids. Unidentified flavonoids were also found. Chromatographic bioassays of compounds isolated from both ethyl acetate and water fractions of methanolic extracts of Acacia leaves also showed significant phytotoxicity but none was found in the fractions of chloroform and hexane, suggesting the phytotoxic compounds present in Acacia plants are water soluble.