Allelopathic effects of Equisetum arvense aqueous extract on Brassica napus and B. chinensis seed germination and seedling growth

Equisetum arvense is a widely distributed farmland weed that poses a serious threat to crops and vegetables in China. We collected aqueous extract from the roots and stems of E. arvense and used a bioassay to study the allelopathic effects of different concentrations of E. arvense aqueous extract on Brassica napus and B. chinensis, to provide a theoretical basis for their rational synthesis. Our results indicate that the allelopathic effect of E. arvense aqueous extract on B.napus and B. chinensis seed germination and seedling growth is mainly inhibitory, resulting in short root, 1ong shoot of seedlings. By regulating soluble protein and soluble sugar content in vivo, B. napus and B. chinensis could improve their resistance to the stressof aqueous E. arvense extract. After treatment with aqueous extract, and with increasing aqueous E. arvense extract concentration, B. napus and B. chinensis malondialdehyde content increased significantly, but superoxide dismutase activity did not change significantly, while catalase and peroxidase activities as well as chlorophyll content showed different changes. The results showed that the allelopathic responses of B. napus and B. chinensis seedlings to aqueous E. arvense extract varied.