Exploring the Potential of Touch-Me-Not (Mimosa pudica L.) to Suppress the Germination and Early Growth of Spiny Amaranth

¹ Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Andalas, Padang 25163, Indonesia
² Study Program of Agrotechnology, Universitas Andalas, Padang 25163, Indonesia

Abstract

Touch-me-not plant (Mimosapudica L.) is known to be a weed of pantropical distribution and is native to the Caribbean and South and Central America. This weed has been used for herbal medicine. However, little is known for its use to control other weeds. An experiment to study the effect of touch-me-not plant litter on the germination and early growth of spiny amaranth (Amaranthus spinosus L.) has been conducted from May to August 2024 at the Plant Physiology Laboratory, Universitas Andalas Padang. Plant extract was prepared through maceration in methanol before phytochemical compound identification. The experiment used a completely randomized design with four concentrations of touch-me-not plant litter (0, 10, 20, and 30%) and four replicates. The seeds of spiny amaranth were germinated for 14 days in Petri dishes. Data were analysed with analysis of variance. Results demonstrated that the touch-me-not plant litter reduced germination and early growth of spiny amaranth. The reduction occurred concentration-dependently. The 30% extract showed the most inhibition. The phytochemicals found were flavonoids, phenolics, saponins, alkaloids, and triterpenoids. Future research should be directed to quantify the amounts of phytochemicals in touch-me-not extract. This finding opens a window to use Mimosa pudica as an environmentally friendly bio-herbicide.