Allelopathic effects ofChrysanthemum morifolium on germination and growth of several herbaceous plants

Aqueous extracts obtained from young green tops ofChrysanthemum morifolium inhibited the germination of six flowering plants, including chrysanthemum itself, provided for experiments. The same phenomenon was also clearly observed when powder made from young green tops and old leaves of chrysanthemum was used. Moreover, the growth of seedlings planted again in garden soil which was once used for the culture of chrysanthemum was greatly interrupted. Chrysanthemum cultured in used garden soil showed far less dry weight than that cultured in fresh garden soil. The weight of chrysanthemum cultured using its root exudates was also less than that cultured with water leachate of fresh garden soil, and therefore these results may be considered to indicate allelopathic effects. In order to find the allelochemicals related to this phenomenon, benzoic acid and phenolic acids such as salicylic,p-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, gentisic, protocatechuic, syringic, gallic, ferulic, and caffeic acids were identified by gas chromatography.