Abstract
Higher plants produce many phytochemical constituents that not only play a pivotal role in plants producing them, but also affect their neighboring plant communities. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of fenugreek seed extract on the growth of faba bean (Vicia faba) and maize (Zea mays) seedlings. The allelochemical components of fenugreek seed extract were analysed and confirmed the abundance of vanillic, syringic, 4-hydroxycinnamic, sinapic, caffeic, salicylic and p-hydroxybenzoic, ferulic acids as well as coumarin. Fenugreek seed extract up to 1.0 % (w/v) efficiently enhanced the growth as well as the chlorophyll content of faba bean and maize seedlings. Furthermore, elevated levels of the amylolytic and proteolytic activities under these concentrations of fenugreek treatments were associated with a marked accumulation of soluble sugars and proteins. Moreover, the potentiality of fenugreek treatments to accumulate phenolic and flavonoid was associated with stimulation in the activities of phenylalanine ammonia lyase, peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase as well as a marked enhancement in total antioxidant capacity which would improve the plant antioxidant status. Concerning the membrane integrity, fenugreek treatments caused a pronounced retardation in both MDA and H2O2 content. Our results elucidated the effect of fenugreek seed extract on the growth and some physiological behaviors of both faba bean and maize seedlings.