TOMSK, Jun 26 – RIA Tomsk. Scientists of Biological institute of Tomsk State University (TSU) made a series of experiments and obtained new data on the Melilotus albus. In particular, they found out that Melilotus can be used for development of bioherbicides – ecological "chemistry" for protection of plants in agriculture. Details – in material of RIA Tomsk.
Melilotus albus is unpretentious plant from legume family is grown up in Siberia in feed and melliferous purposes. Differs in steadily high efficiency of raw materials including seeds.
Ecological "chemistry"
"Plants are capable to synthesize different groups of biologically active agents and to allocate them to the environment. Thereby they stimulate or slow down development of live organisms, this property is called allelopathy", – the associate professor of agricultural biology of BI TSU Svetlana Mikhaylova is quoted on the website of the university.
As the press service of the university reported on Wednesday, this feature of plants can be used for development of bioherbicides – natural means of protection of plants which do not concede "chemistry" by efficiency, but are environmentally friendly product. With development of organic agriculture this subject becomes more and more relevant.
In search of a basis for creation of bioherbicides BI TSU'S scientists carried out screening of several views of allelopathic activity and stopped the choice on Melilotus albus. As an object of the research grade seeds "Ob giant" were chosen and its ability to slow down germination of weed and invasive plants – Amaranthus retroflexus, Avena fatua, Abutilon theophrasti, Panicum was studied.
Biologists also checked impact of extract on crops – wheat, oats, rye, flax.
"Results of experiments say that water extracts of seeds of the Melilotus have high phytotoxic properties, – Mikhaylova explains. – Even in small concentration (0.5%) it causes a strong inhibiting effect which is expressed in slowing down of germination of seeds and sharp reduction of the sizes of sprouts, especially root system".
According to her, use of two-percent extract at many tested plants led practically to full suppression of germination of seeds.
Siberian plants for experiments
In the nearest future biologists of TSU will continue researches of phytotoxicity of the Siberian plants for the purpose of development of bioherbicidal medicines. To expand studying borders, entomologists, geneticists, chemists will join biologists. Interest in joint researches was expressed by the Belarusian experts from V.F.Kuprevich Institute of Experimental Botany who conduct similar works in parallel.
Scientists plan to analyse allelopathic properties of different types, one of which can be "Giant Hogweed" – extremely aggressive alien types that quickly extend in Russia, occupying all new and new territories.
"TSU scientists began to research the allelopathic properties of plants in the late thirties under the leadership of professor Boris Tokin, who was the rector of the university. In days of the Great Patriotic War under his management the group of biologists of TSU received interesting results on allelopathic activity of plants concerning different types of live organisms", – the press service of the university summarizes.
