IMPACT OF SUGAR BEET SHOOT EXUDATES ON GERMINATION AND ROOT GROWTH OF WHEAT, BARLEY AND MAIZE

One of the possibilities of increasing crop productivity is the use of mutual interactions between plants known as allelopathy. Allelochemicals of sugar beet have not yet been explored enough and they have mostly pronounced inhibitory effects on the germination and growth of several crops. The aim of the research was to evaluate the effect of the sugar beet water extract (Bela vulgaris, cv. Tatry, 5 and 10 g l(-1)) on the germination and growth of roots of selected varieties of winter wheat (Trilicum aeslivum, cv. IS Spirella, IS Mandata, IS Laudis), spring barley (Hordeum vulgare cvs. KWS Bambina, Karrnel, Maltea) and maize (Zea mays, cvs. Chapalu and Mv NN 333). The highest inhibition of germination was observed in the case of spring barley varieties (12-58%) and the lowest in the case of maize (0-18%). The inhibitory effect of the extracts also manifested on the prolongation of the root growth and their fresh weight; the highest sensitivity was recorded in Laudis variety (wheat), Karmel variety (barley) and Mv NN 333 variety (maize). The obtained results can be used for the inclusion of sugar beet in the crop rotation, but only after assessing the influence of the soil substrate in the given context, which is the subject of further analyzes.