Allelopathic Potential of Aquatic Plants Associated with Wild Rice (Zizania palustris): I. Bioassay with Plant and Lake Sediment Samples

The allelopathic potential of eight aquatic plants associated with wild rice was investigated using lettuce and wild rice seedling bioassays. Rhizome aqueous extracts of Scirpus acutus, Potamogeton natans, Nymphaea odorata, Nuphar variegatum; shoot extract of Eleocharis smallii; whole plant extract of Myriophyllum verticillatum; and leaf extract of P. natans significantly reduced the root length of lettuce and wild rice seedlings. The lettuce seedling bioassay was more sensitive than the wild rice bioassay. Shoot growth was less affected than the root growth. Water extract of sediments associated with the aquatic plants had little growth inhibitory effect on wild rice. Our study did not yield any conclusive evidence that the wild rice-associated aquatic plants have allelopathic effects on wild rice. We emphasize the use of target species as a bioassay material in allelopathic studies. Further investigation on allelopathic effects of lake sediments associated with the neighboring plants of wild rice is necessary to evaluate their ecological significance.