Inhibition of cucumber leaf expansion by ferulic acid in split-root experiments

Experiments were conducted to determine how the proportion of a root system in contact with an allelopathic compound may affect seedling responses. Cucumber seedlings grown in a split-root nutrient culture system were given either single (1 mM) or multiple applications (0.5 mM) of ferulic acid. Seedlings receiving single applications were left in the treatment solutions for two days and then harvested, while seedlings receiving multiple applications had their solutions changed every other day for a total of three changes. Leaf areas were determined daily starting with the initial ferulic acid treatment. Mean absolute and mean relative rates of leaf expansion were inversely related to the proportion of the root system in ferulic acid solution. Leaf expansion was inhibited primarily during the first 24 hr after each treatment. A partial recovery of growth occurred during the second 24-hr period following each treatment. Root length was reduced by ferulic acid. These results suggest that information on root and allelochemical distribution in soils is important when assessing the potential of allelopathic interactions between plants.