ALLELOPATHIC EFFECTS OF LANTANA-CAMARA (VERBENACEAE) ON MORNING GLORY(IPOMOEA TRICOLOR)

Allelopathic effects of Lantana camara L. foliar leachates and dried l eaf amendments on Ipomoea tricolor Cav. radicle growth, shoot emergenc e, and plant biomass were examined over a 50-day period. Aqueous leaf extracts of L. camara decreased radicle growth of Ipomoea but germinat ion percentage was not inhibited. Dried leaf residue in soil growth me dia delayed shoot emergence from soil. Plant biomass after 50 days was not affected by the presence of L. camara soil amendments. Leaf extra cts in petri dishes were more inhibitory than was dried leaf material in soil. These results indicate the presence of phytotoxic compounds i n L. camara. Allelopathic effects of these compounds are significant d uring early germination of Ipomoea, while plants older than 2 weeks ap pear unaffected. In the soil environment allelopathic effects are mini mal, possibly due to chemical binding, microbial action, or both.