ABSTRACT

The effect of ethanoic and aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera and Senna alata on the germination and seedling growth of maize and soybean were investigated in laboratory and field (pot) experiment. Five treatment levels of different concentration of extracts (undiluted, 1:1, 1:25, 1:50), and control were used. The control treatment was only distilled water. The result showed that germination percentage of maize and soybean when treated with ethanoic extract from M. oleifera and S. alata were significantly (P<0.05) reduced. The concentration of the extract affected the germination percentage of the seed of the plant. As the concentration of extracts increased, the germination percentage reduced. The extracts significantly (P<0.05) stimulated growth of maize and soybean. It caused significant increase in the height and dry weight. This study reveals that the allellopathic chemicals present in the leaves of M. oleifera and S. alata inhibited germination of soybean and maize. This result therefore suggests that extracts of M. oleifera and S. alata contain both allelopathic and stimulatory substances responsible for inhibition of germination of soybean and maize and stimulation of growth of soybean and maize. The study suggests that ethanoic extracts of M. oleifera and S. alata can be used as a growth suppressant to prevent germination of weed seeds and also as bio-stimulator to stimulate growth of crops plant.  

TABLE OF CONTENT

Title

Declaration i

Dedication ii

Acknowledgement iii

Table of content v

List of table viii

Abstract ix

CHAPTER ONE 

1.0 Introduction 1

1.1 Botany of plants 5

1.2 Aims and objectives 6

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 Literature review 7

2.1 Effects of plant extract on germination of plants 8

2.2 Effects of plant extract on seedling growth of plants 10

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 Materials and methods 12

3.1 Preparation of extracts 12

¬¬¬¬¬3.1.1 Preparation of aqueous extracts 12

3.1.2 Preparation of ethanoic extract 12

3.2 Seed germination test 13

3.3 Seedling growth test 13

3.4 Experimental designs and statistical procedures 14

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 Result 15

4.0.1 Plant height growth (cm) 15

4.0.2 Seed germination 21

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0 Discussion 23

5.0.1 Effects of the aqueous and ethanoic leaf extract of Moringa oleifera on the germination of maize and soybean 24

5.0.2 Effects of aqueous and ethanoic leaf extract of Senna alata on the germination of maize and soybean 25

5.0.3 Effects of aqueous and ethanoic leaf extract of Moringa oleifera on the seedling growth of maize and soybean 26

5.1.4 Effects of aqueous and ethanoic leaf extract of Senna alata on the seedling growth of maize and soybean

5.1 Conclusion 26

5.2 Recommendation 27

References  

Appendix