ABSTRACT _Viscum album_ L. (VA) is a unique plant with regard to its biological content. It is rich in many different metabolites with high potential in various spheres of human activity. We

conducted a pilot study with 5 VA aqueous extracts of different host-tree species for pre-sowing treatment of _Cucurbita maxima_ ‘Hokkaido orange’ seeds. We set the following objectives

consisting of hypotheses (1) _H01_ is based on different effects of tested VA extracts depending on host trees and time of pre-treatment; (2) _H02_ focuses on the allopathic properties of

the tested extracts affecting the plant growth and development by dose–response relationship; (3) _A01_ considers highly biologically active compounds of VA extracts also containing

plants shows the presence of potential allelochemicals, resulting from the vital products of the host-parasite relationship. These effects are not fully explained by total polyphenol content

and antioxidant activity as in previous studies of other mistletoe species. The authors consider this work a pilot study that expands the areas of application of VA extracts and knowledge

about potential sources of allelochemicals. SIMILAR CONTENT BEING VIEWED BY OTHERS INVESTIGATION OF THE ALLELOPATHIC EFFECT OF TWO MEDICINAL PLANT IN AGROFORESTRY SYSTEM Article Open access

10 April 2025 EFFECTS OF WATER EXTRACTS OF _FLAVERIA BIDENTIS_ ON THE SEED GERMINATION AND SEEDLING GROWTH OF THREE PLANTS Article Open access 21 October 2022 IDENTIFY POTENTIAL

ALLELOCHEMICALS FROM _HUMULUS SCANDENS_ (LOUR.) MERR. ROOT EXTRACTS THAT INDUCE ALLELOPATHY ON _ALTERNANTHERA PHILOXEROIDES_ (MART.) GRISEB. Article Open access 29 March 2021 INTRODUCTION

European mistletoe (_Viscum album_ L.) is an evergreen perennial aerial hemiparasitic plant with a special mode of cellular respiration that parasitizes various tree species and is

distributed in Europe, Africa, America, Australia, and Asia1,2. Mistletoe spreads actively in anthropogenic ecosystems and in some cases reaches 80% faster spreading than in natural

ecosystems3,4. Thus, it creates a problem for green urban areas (reduces plants’ decorative effect and vitality), which cannot be solved without damaging the host plant and when lacking

control technologies. Our research is a pilot study of the effect of VA extracts from different hosts on plants, which could be a practical solution to utilizing VA in the city and have

social and environmental impact to create a resilient city. Most research papers are devoted to the medicinal properties of VA5,6, including anti-cancer7,8,9, antidiabetic10, cardiac

activity11,12, anti-inflammatory13, immunomodulatory14, and antimicrobial15. The mistletoe lectins and viscotoxins of VA aqueous extracts have been used in medicine for 80 years16,17,18. In

addition, chemical compounds of different molecular sizes (from ≤ 1500 Da), such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids, phytosterol, saponins and organic acids were identified

in VA extracts19,20. Different antioxidant activities of mistletoe depending on the host plant, time of collection, plant organs and extracting solvent were found21,22,23,24. The combination

of different host species and abiotic factors may result from the wide variability of mistletoe’s chemical composition and biological activity21,22. A detailed analysis of the available

literature allowed the scientists to distribute in percentage expressions the chemical classes in VA where alkaloids and their derivatives > 40%, phenols and their derivatives > 20%,

terpenoids and their derivatives > 10%, fatty acids and their derivatives < 10%, carbohydrates and their derivatives < 5%, other < 3%23. In addition, scientists have identified

212 metabolites in fermented aqueous extracts of VA from different host trees by MS and MS/MS analysis20. Numerous studies demonstrate the effectiveness of water extracts in medicine24, but

the issue of the effect of water extracts from mistletoe on plants is poorly understood and still open. The term “allopathy” was first formally coined by scientist Hans Molisch in 1937 and

refined by Rice in 1984; defined as «a biochemical relationship between all plants, including microorganisms that can have a direct or indirect, harmful or beneficial effect of one plant on

another through its produced chemical compounds in the environment»25. In 1996, the International Society of Allelopathy reinterpreted the definition of “allelopathy” by adding any process

involving secondary metabolites produced by plants, fungi, microorganisms and viruses that affect the growth processes of agricultural and biological systems26. A new conceptual vision of

the term “allelopathy” is offered by Wardle et al.27 who define it as a mechanism of interference that releases biochemical compounds that affect another plant. The ability of a species to

survive and reproduce may be determined by its ability to release allelochemicals into the environment or even to tolerate the presence of allelochemicals released by other plants28. Even

though allelopathy as a subdiscipline has been developing for a long time, it still has a history of a controversial nature due to the frequent equating of the allelopathic effect with the

presence of a phytotoxic phytochemical substance and disregarding the water solubility of allelochemicals29. For our experiment, we formed the following scientific questions and hypotheses:

H01 It is based on the different effects of tested extracts on the experimental plants (EP) depending on the host tree and time of pre-treatment. H02 Allopathic properties of aqueous VA

extracts can regulate the growth and development of the EP by dose–response relationship. A01 This assumption is based on the possibility of applying of VA aqueous extracts to plant growth,

which will simultaneously solve part of the problem of mistletoe utilization in cities. The null hypothesis _H01_ is based on the analysis of previous phytochemical screenings, which

demonstrate high biological activity of VA plants by a wide variety of chemical compounds with different molecular sizes of primary and secondary metabolites. These show high probability of

having an impact on the growth and development of the EP. VA extracts from different host plants are characterized by different phytochemical compositions, which means different effects on

the same EP. The mistletoe-host system is unique from an eco-metabolic point of view because mistletoe derives its metabolites mainly from the primary metabolism of its host tree and

synthesises its own defence compounds. Moreover, long-term parasitism of mistletoe generates a new metabolic identity of the host plant30. Allelochemicals are defined as bioactive secondary

metabolites with an unspecified function in primary metabolism in response to biotic and abiotic stress31. Generally, allelochemicals include various classes of chemical compounds, mainly

phenolic compounds, terpenoids, alkaloids and nitrogen-containing chemicals, and many others32. Hypothesis H02 assumes the presence of high content of plant allelochemicals in VA aqueous

extracts, such as phenols, that can affect the processes of germination, root growth, and photosynthesis33. Scientists note that different types of mistletoe demonstrate allelopathy

activity34,35. In addition, the results of recent studies suggest the possibility of using the antioxidant activity of plants as an indicator for selecting plants for screening potential

allopathic species36. Moreover, allelochemicals are well known to induce hormesis at high and low concentrations. To verify these aspects, we carried out short-term (2 h) and long-term (24 

h) pre-treatment of seeds with test extracts37. Thus, the question for us in H02 was whether the biochemical compounds of the test extracts could have the properties of allelochemicals. The

truth or falsity of A01 will depend on the results of the previous hypotheses; it is only a conclusion. The use of biological products in urban landscaping to reduce the pesticide load on

urban areas should become a priority to solve a set of problems with increasing plant viability and protecting them from the effects of urban environmental factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS

PLANT MATERIAL The samples of VA were collected in March 2023 during VA fruiting period from different parts of urban green spaces in Wroclaw by arborists of the Greenery Department of the

city. All plants were taxonomically authenticated at the Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences (WUELS), Poland. The plant material used in the study was collected following

current legislation and does not violate IUCN records. VA was collected from deciduous trees by a professional arborist with permission from the Management of Urban Greenery in Wroclaw. Five

dominant different host tree species were selected for the study, namely, _Tilia cordata_ Mill., _Glog monogyna_ Jacq., _Populus nigra_ L., _Salix alba_ L. and _Acer platonoides_ L.38. We

selected 4 urban trees of the same species with the same intensity of mistletoe infestation (10–30 bushes per tree) in one location (Fig. 1)39. From each tree, 3 bushes (a whole mistletoe

plant) were collected at different heights and combined into one experimental sample. The plants were then stored in dark plastic bags, separated into leaves, shoots and berries, and dried.

The unsteamed seeds of _Cucurbita maxima_ ‘Hokkaido orange’ were purchased from a local gardening store in March 2023. It was a certified seed material with high germination capacity. The

results of our measurements (n = 10) demonstrate the following seed characteristics:100 seeds’ mass 20,5 ± 1,22 g, length 13,8 ± 2,32 mm, width 1,2 ± 0,30 mm. We used AXIS D1000 laboratory

balance to measure the weight, and INSIZE calliper rod to measure the length and width (see Supplementary Fig. S1 online). PREPARATION OF AQUEOUS EXTRACTS AND SEED TREATMENT The shoots with

leaves were washed in the tap water in the laboratory and the remaining water was removed in MPW-350R centrifuge40. We put the plant material in an oven at 50 °C for 3 days and packed it in

black plastic bags until use. The dried plant material was placed in a blender for 90 s and mixed with a spatula every 30 s. To 10 g of dry crushed mistletoe was added 100 ml of sterile

distilled water and centrifuged twice for 30 min at 3220 g (20 °C) and 20,817 g (room temperature)41 (see Supplementary Fig. S2 online). The plant extract was filtered through filter paper

and then stored in a refrigerator42. We pre-treated pumpkin by covering the seeds with 50 ml of 5 VA extracts and distilled water for 2 h (Test A) and 24 h (Test B), stirring periodically at

room temperature in the dark. After that, 20 seeds were placed in a sterilised petri dish (18 cm) on filter paper on both sides in triplicate (Table 1). The dishes were placed in ST 1450 CS

SMART thermostat at ± 24 °C with constant light (see Supplementary Fig. S3 online). Only seeds with at least 2-mm-long radicles were included in calculations33,34. We did not add water to

the seeds for the first two days as the filter paper was moistened. On the following days of observation, we added 20 ml of distilled water to each dish daily. Thus, we obtained 36 Petri

dishes for the experiment and observed 720 seeds. EFFECT OF VA EXTRACTS ON PLANTS SEED GERMINATION RATES (SRG) To study the effect of mistletoe aqueous extracts on seed germination, the

following indicators were calculated and analysed: germination percentage (GP, %), germination index (GI), last day of germination (LDG), time spread of germination (TSG), mean germination

time (MGT), and seedling vigour index (SVI). The following formulas were used to calculate the seed values: GP = ∑ seeds germinated per day/∑ seeds placed for germination × 10043. GI = 

∑G1/GD1 + ∑G2/GD2 + ··· + ∑Gx/GDx, where G—number of germinated seeds, GD—germination day44. LDG = last day of seed germination45. TSG = LDG—day on which the first germination event

occurred46. MGT = ∑ (ni × di)/N, where ni—number of seeds germinated a day, N—total number of germinated seeds at the end of experiment44. SVI = (Mean root length + Mean shoot length) × %

germination40,47. INHIBITORY AND ALLOPATHIC EFFECTS We analysed the morphometric parameters of the seeds every 24 h during the 8 days of laboratory research. Measurements were made using an

INSIZE calliper with an accuracy of 0.01 mm. In general, we made 5760 observations. The extracts’ inhibition percentage index (IP) was calculated using the formula, where IP < 0

represents an inhibitory effect, and IP > 0 represents a promoting effect. IP = [1 − (LE/LC)] × 10048, LE = length of seedlings in aqueous plant extract. LC = length of seedlings in

control (without extract). We calculated the allopathic effect of the extracts by the stimulatory allelopathy index (SAI): SAI = (T/C − 1) × 100, where T—treatment value and C—control

value49. We estimated the SAI for GP and SVI indicators of the last day of germination in dishes (8 GD), water content (WC), photosynthetic pigments and TPC50. We grouped the results of the

SAI indices using a 5-point scale, where negative SAI values were marked in red and positive values in green (Table 2). CHLOROPHYLL AND CAROTENOIDS CONTENT After the SRG assessment, we

planted the all experimental plants and even seeds (2B) that did not germinate in pallet containers (65 × 60 × 48 mm, 190 cm3) in peat TM PlanzSubstrat “Athena Mieszanka torfowa Substrat”

(see Supplementary Fig. S4 online). Plants in pallets were placed in a thermostat ST 1450 CS SMART at a temperature of ± 24 °C with constant light. Every day we moistened the soil with

distilled water and observed the plants. The aboveground part of the experimental plants was cut off on 20th day (Test A) and 21th day (Test B) after the beginning of the bio-test. To

determine the photosynthetic pigments, we weighed 400 mg of fresh leaf weight of the experimental plants on AXIS AD1000 balance with an accuracy of ± 0.01 (see Section “Chlorophyll and

carotenoids content”). Chlorophyll _a_, _b_, and carotenoids were extracted in a clean mortar by grinding fresh leaves of the experimental samples (400 mg) with sand and CaCO3. The acetone

(80%) was added to the homogenized material and filtered using a water pump and a glass funnel. We determined the content of chlorophyll a and b, and carotenoids by the spectrophotometric

method by Spectroquant Pharo100 MERCK51. The content of photosynthetic pigments was calculated using the following formulas: $${\text{Chl}}_{{\text{b}}} = \frac{22,9 A645 - 4,68A633}{{20*m}}

\;\left[ {{\text{mg g}}^{{ - {1}}} } \right]$$ $${\text{Car }} = \frac{1000A470 - 3,27Chla - 104Chlb}{{229}}\;\left[ {{\text{mg g}}^{{ - {1}}} } \right]$$ where m—weight of fresh leaves.

TOTAL PHENOLIC CONTENT (TPC) TPC was determined in ethanolic extracts by the Folin-Ciocalteu method in terms of the Gallic acid equivalent (GAE) in mg/g of the extract52,53. We mixed 100 μl

plant extract with 2000 μl distilled water, 200 μl Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and 100 μl of 15% Na2CO3 and stored it in darkness for 2 h. The absorbance was recorded at 765 nm by Spectroquant

Pharo100 MERCK. All measurements were performed in three replications54. WATER CONTENT AND PLANT BIOMASS The experimental plants growing in pallets were cut off and weighed on AXIS AD1000

balance with an accuracy of ± 0.01 g to obtain fresh mass (FM). The samples were then placed in an oven and dried at 105 °C to a constant weight (DM). Calculations were performed using the

following formula: WC (%) = 100 − [(DM × 100)/FM]55. VA EXTRACTS ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY DPPH The free-radical scavenging activity of the VA extracts was carried out by using the

2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl method with some modifications56. We prepared samples for the experiment by adding 500 μl of plant extract to 1.5 ml of ethanol and 0.5 ml DPPH. Then, we

prepared a blank sample by adding 500 μl of distilled water to 1.5 ml of ethanol and 0.5 ml of DPPH solution. The absorbance was measured at 517 nm using Spectroquant Pharo100 MERCK. The

results were calculated using the formulas and expressed as mg Trolox (TE) per 100 g dry extract. FRAP FRAP assay was followed according to the method proposed by Benzie and Strain57 with

some modification. The 300 mM sodium acetate (CH3COONa) buffer solution at pH 3.6, 10 mM TPTZ (2, 4, 6-tripyridyl-s-triazine) solution, and 20 mM ferric chloride (FeCl3) solution were mixed

in the ratio of 10:1:158. The plant extracts were mixed with 1.9 mL FRAP reagent and the absorbance was measured at 593 nm after 10 min using Spectroquant Pharo100 MERCK. The values were

expressed in dry weight of the plant samples as μM of ferrous equivalent Fe (II) per gram of sample. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS All obtained experimental data was analysed using Microsoft Excel,

JupyterLab (Python 3.9), and RStudio (R 4.3)59. Statistical similarity, according to the GD indicator, between seed samples treated with mistletoe aqueous extracts from different host trees

and distilled water (control) was assessed by comparing 95% confidence intervals60. These intervals were calculated based on the binomial distribution of proportions. For other indicators,

similar statistical analyses were conducted using classical parametric (LDG, TSG, MGT, GI, as well as TPC, DPPH and FRAP contents) and nonparametric (box plots for TPC, DPPH and FRAP

contents) criteria. Heat maps with hierarchical clustering were created using the Heatmapper web platform, employing the Pearson distance measurement method61. RESULTS GERMINATION BIOASSAY

The analysis of seed germination rates of seeds treated with VA extracts shows different indicators on different days of the experiment for test samples, which indicates the direct influence

of the components of the aqueous extracts and the duration of pre-sowing seed treatment on the growth and development of plants. The confidence intervals indicate statistically significant

differences in the test results for certain samples, underscoring the importance of the research factor (see Fig. 2). For seeds with 2-h treatment (Test A), the highest GP indices were

recorded for KA, 1A and 4A and were 98.3%. Not significantly lower indices of 96.7% were recorded for 5A and 3A. Our observations recorded a decrease in GP indices in the last 3 days of the

experiment due to the loss of seed vitality in some research samples, except for seeds of 3A and 5A, where the indices were stable. This phytotoxic effect of the extract was most expressed

in extract 2A from _C. monogyna_, where more than 30% of seeds lost their vitality within a day. In spite of the results of Test A, where 2A demonstrated a decrease in GP indices up to 40%,

Test B reliably indicates the phytotoxic effect of mistletoe extract from the _C. monogyna_ (2B, GP = 0%) and partially 4B extract from _S. alba_ (GP = 26.6%). The germinated seeds treated

with 4B extract had the highest morphometric parameters among all EP, which suggests the phytotoxicity of this extract and, at the same time, allopathic properties. In addition, on the 4th

day of the experiment, some seeds in test 1B began to lose the vitality of the first formed root, and at the same time, the seeds did not show any morphometric changes for 2 days in VA-_T.

cordata_ extract with the highest DPPH values (44,69 ± 2.11 TE/g) among all test extracts. However, on the 6 GD, newly branched roots and leaves began to form actively, so we can observe

such dynamic changes in the indicators on the graph, which we will try to explain in the Discussion section. The shorter time treatment by VA extracts of the experimental seeds inhibited the

speed of germination rates (GR) compared to the control (2–3 days). The test seeds treated with the VA extract from _C. monogyna_ did not germinate at all on the 8th GD of the experiment.

It was found that long-term treatment with the extracts did not significantly affect the rapidity of GR of seeds of samples 4B and 5B compared to 4A and 5A. However, the extract of 3B

stimulated GR, and 1B, and, on the contrary, inhibited it compared to KB. The analysis of the graphs of the main effects of the components of the experimental VA extracts on pumpkin seeds

shows different response rates in SRG depending on the content of phenolic compounds, and antioxidant properties of the extracts depending on the host tree (Fig. 3 and see Supplementary Fig.

S3 online). We have recorded the signal of response in Test A with short-term seed treatment in LDG, TSG and GI, depending on the TPC in the test VA extracts. Simultaneously, the

concentrations of all the aforementioned substances exhibit a strong correlation with each other, with correlation coefficients (r) greater than 0.82. We also detected an effect on MGT and

GI values of DPPH in Test A and a slightly weaker signal on LDG and TSG values (FRAP). In contrast to Test A, the results of the analysis did not reveal a significant effect of phenolic

compounds in Test B with long-term treatment of VA extracts on the germination rate of experimental seeds. A weak influence of FRAP on TSG was recorded. The daily analysis of the SVI index

shows lower indicators of all research plants up to 4 days of the experiment regardless of the duration of pre-sowing seed treatment compared to the control. For the first time, the

dominance of SVI indexes of treated seeds with extracts over KA was recorded in Test A at 5 GD of trial 1A (+ 4%) and 6 GD of trial 1A (+ 26%) and 4 A (+ 52%). Thus, in Test B, on GD 7,

higher values were recorded for trials 3B (+ 71%) and 4B (+ 12%) compared to KB. On the 8th day, the highest values were recorded for plants that can be arranged in descending order 4A > 

4B > 3B > 5B compared to the control in their bio-test KA or KB (Fig. 4). EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF EXTRACTS ON GROWTH PROCESSES INHIBITORY EFFECT Results of the daily IP analysis

indicate variable activity of this indicator on different days of the experiment (Fig. 5). By the first 4–5 GD of all samples had IP > 0 except for test 5B, which had IP < 0 from day

3rd GD. We found that test 2B had a 100% inhibitory effect because no seed germinated in 8 days. Thus, on the last day of the experiment in dishes (8 GD), negative IP values in Test A were

fixed for 1A, 4A, 5A and in Test B for 3B, 4B, 5B. ALLOPATHIC EFFECTS The results of the experiment indicate the effect of VA aqueous extracts on the growth and development of experimental

plants at different levels of ontogeny (seed germination, morphometry, physiological levels) (Table 3). The duration of pre-sowing treatment significantly affects (Test B) the SAI values of

various indices with a wide variation. In some tests, SAI results show a change from negative to positive values (GP 1A-1B, SVI 3A-3B, LA 4A-4B, 5A-5B, chl_a_ and car 2A-2B, 4A-4B), which

indicates the possibility of changing inhibition to stimulation depending on the treatment duration. It was experimentally established that 37.7% of the results obtained for assessing the

effect of VA extracts on 7 parameters of experimental plants had a negligible effect on plants and were evaluated as 0 points (Very Low). In addition, the data indicate the presence of the

effect of extracts on different levels of plant organization, where 31.9% were evaluated as Low, 17.4%—Moderate, 8.7%—Very High and 4.3%—High. PHENOLIC CONTENT AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF VA

EXTRACTS Different content of phenolic compounds in the experimental VA extracts was found depending on the host tree. The values ranged from 390.01 ± 9.4 (VA-_S. alba_) to 446.9 ± 8.3 mg

GAE/g (VA-_P. nigra_) (Fig. 6). In addition, the antioxidant activity of VA extracts in terms of DPPH and FRAP differed from each other. Thus, according to DPPH, the extracts can be arranged

in the following sequence: _T. cordata_ > _P. nigra_ > _C. monogyna_ > _S. alba_ > _A. platonoides_ and FRAP _P. nigra_ > _S. alba_ > _C. monogyna_ > _T. cordata_ > 

_A. platonoides_. DISCUSSION Scientists noted germination rate and germination indices are the most sensitive to allelochemical relationships but the most appropriate is to compare

experimental samples with controls62,63. The EP germination rate (LDG) in Test A is correlated with the TPC of VA extracts, where, for example, seeds treated with VA-_P. nigra_ had the

highest LDG, and the extract had the highest TPC, but in Test B this trend is absent. A similar phytotoxic effect of extracts from _Triticum aestivum_ L. was recorded for GP and germination

time of _Portulaca oleracea_ L. and _Stellaria._ _Media_ (L.) Vill., which is explained by the high content of TPC and flavonoids64. A similar allopathic inhibition effect of sesame extracts

on seed germination of _Phyllostachys edulis_ (Carri-ere) J. Houz was found65. It was established that phenolic compounds from _Festulolium_ genotypes have the greatest allelopathic effect

on the growth processes of _Eruca sativa_ L. (Rocket)66. The duration of treatment with VA extracts significantly affects the growth and development of plants, which may be due to the

different effects of water-soluble and non-water-soluble metabolites of extracts, including water-soluble phenolic compounds (WSPC). Scientists assume that the most effective allelochemical

compounds are characterized by limited solubility in water, so it is very important to consider their water solubility29. On 4GD of the experiment, EP in sample 1B began to lose their vigour

due to the death of the first formed main root, but after 2 days, the root system began to actively form from lateral roots. In _C. peppo_, lateral root initiation (LRI) and development

occur during embryogenesis and directly in the apical meristem of the parental root, followed by rapid monopodial branching of the main root67. In addition, in the radicle of

_Cucurbitaceae_, during embryogenesis, the first 3–5 LRI can be formed68. Notably, we recorded the highest DPPH content in this VA extract (1B), which could presumably affect root formation

processes, but this is only an assumption as to why we could observe such results in Test A. The results of studies of 55 plant species show that antioxidant activity, including DPPH,

demonstrates inhibitory properties and is considered by scientists as a potential allopathic source36. Allelochemicals are most often represented by secondary metabolites in plant cells,

which are produced in response to external factors, but have no recognized specific function in the plant33. It was determined that WSPCs play the role of endogenous inhibitors in the seed

coat of _Triticum aestivum_ L. seeds to control the the germination process, which is partially caused by the inhibition of peroxidase reactivation69. The results of our experiments

demonstrate the lowest germination rates (GP) for long-term treatment (Test B) of seeds with extracts of pre-treatment of seeds with VA- _C. monogyna_ (GP = 0%) and VA-_S.alba_ (GP = 27%).

This indicates inhibition in contrast to the short-term pre-treatment (Test A) from the long-term pre-treatment (Test B). The phytotoxic effect of mistletoe extractsof _Dendrophthoe falcata_

(L.F.) Ettingsh. on the germination of seeds of redhead and green millet was determined, which is the result of metabolic disorders due to the influence of allelochemicals34. Our research

confirms the findings of previous scientists about the positive effect of mistletoe extracts in some cases, where some of the VA test extracts showed high GP values similar to the control

and only in one case slightly higher than the control (Test B, VA-_A. platonoides_). It was found that the seeds of _Pennisetum glaucum_ [L.] R. Br. treated with aqueous VA extracts had

higher germination rate and germination energy compared to the control, increased the resistance of experimental plants to pearl millet downy mildew pathogen probably due to the presence of

amides and other aromatic compounds, and increased the activity of peroxidase and phenylalanine ammonia kinase in experimental seedlings40. Presumably, the different reaction of _C. maxima_

‘Hokkaido orange’ seeds to the duration of pre-sowing treatment with VA extracts of different host trees is caused by different sensitivity of seeds to allopathic chemical compounds of

different molecular sizes that are modified in water and the degree of penetration through the seed coat during long-term 24-h treatment. The data indicate the inhibitory effect of aqueous

VA-_T. cordata_ and VA-_C. monogyna_ extracts on the morphometric parameters of _C. maxima_ ‘Hokkaido orange’ regardless of the duration of pre-treatment of EP. Different time of

pre-treatment of _Lactuca sativa_ L. seeds with aqueous extracts of _Achnatherum splendens_ (Trin.) Nevski, _Artemisia frigida_ Willd. and _Stella chamaejasme_ L. did not reveal significant

differences in the effect on lettuce seed germination. Still, all test extracts that inhibited lettuce seed germination and root length contributed to the increase in lettuce shoot length,

stem length, leaf length and leaf width70. Scientists note that allelochemicals from plants are chemically diverse and include various phenolic compounds, terpenoids, alkaloids, and

nitrogen-containing chemicals and many other chemical families32,69. We found a stimulating effect of VA-_P. nigra_ and VA-_A. platonoides_ in Test B, VA-_S. alba_ in both tests. Based on

the example of permeability of seed coats of _Allium cepa_ L., _Phaseolus vulgaris_ L., _Capsicum annuum_ L., _Lactuca sativa_ L., _Solanum lycopersicum_ L., and _Cucumis sativus_ L., it was

found that 10 compounds of different chemical classes that failed to penetrate the seed coat during seed impregnation were absorbed by roots or hypocotyls after visible germination71. The

most vulnerable among the photosynthetic pigments to the influence of allelochemicals of VA extracts is chlr _b_ in Test A, which was lower than in the control by more than 2 times. It was

found that VA significantly affected the content of chlr _b_ in 3 host species (apricot, almond and plum), while the effect on the content of chlr _a_ and carotenoids was minimal72. It was

established that aqueous extracts from the leaves of _Mentha_ × _piperita_ L. act as inhibitors or stimulators on the functioning of photosystem II and the content of chlorophylls in

_Helianthus annuus_ L. plants73. CONCLUSIONS EP with 24 h pre-treatment with aqueous VA extracts have lower rates of seed germination but higher morphometric parameters compared to plants

with 2 h pre-treatment. During the long-term treatment of _C. maxima_ seeds with VA-_S. alba_ and VA-_A. platonoides_ (“host-tree metabolites vs. mistletoe + water”), a positive effect of

the components was recorded. The highest indicators of TPC were recorded in the VA extracts of _Populus nigra_ L. (446.9 ± 8.3 mg GAE/g), DPPH of _Tilia cordata_ Mill. (44.68 ± 2.11 TE/g)

and FRAP of _Populus nigra_ L. (69.08 ± 0.703 mg TE/g). The most sensitive among photosynthetic pigments to the effect of VA extracts is chlr _a_ in the short-term treatment of plants in

Test A. The possibility of regulating the growth processes (inhibition and stimulation) of plants exemplified by _C. maxima_ ‘Hokkaido orange’ by applying aqueous VA extracts was

experimentally established. The experimental data confirm our H01 and partially H02, the effect of allelochemicals on _C. maxima_ ‘Hokkaido orange’ was recorded, but its nature opens up new

horizons for further scientific research. The experiment shows the presence of water-soluble metabolites in VA aqueous extracts that have a positive effect on the growth and development of

_C. maxima_ (stimulating effect). Still most cases of the experiment of another host tree demonstrate the inhibitory effect of the extract components. Of course, many questions remain

unanswered after our study, but the fact that VA metabolites have an effect on the ontogenesis of _C. maxima_ ‘Hokkaido orange’ plants that are highly biologically active is undeniable.

Despite the presence of some correlations between the TPC content and the antioxidant activity of VA extracts with the ontogeny of the experimental plants, the authors do not exclude the

influence of other biologically active substances of VA extracts or their synergy, which still needs to be clarified. This is a pilot study that should serve as a basis and/or a hint for the

future research of the biological activity of mistletoe extracts. In our opinion, the solution to A01 is promising for creating environmentally friendly solutions for the resilient city and

solving the problem of mistletoe utilization in urban areas. In addition, the variable quantitative and qualitative composition of mistletoe extracts depending on the host plants, which is

the result of mistletoe vital activity, prompts the question and future scientific discussion whether these biochemical compounds can be considered allelochemicals. REFERENCES * Kleszken,

E., Timar, A. V., Memete, A. R., Miere, F. & Vicas, S. I. On overview of bioactive compounds, biological and pharmacological effects of mistletoe (_Viscum album_ L). _Pharmacophore_ 13,

10–26 (2022). Article  Google Scholar  * Schröder, L., Hegermann, J., Pille, P. & Braun, H.-P. The photosynthesis apparatus of European mistletoe (_Viscum album_). _Plant Physiology_

190, 1896–1914 (2022). Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar  * Hernández, A. _et al._ Identification of tree damages of three parks of Mexico City. _Rev. Mex. Cienc. For._ 6,

63–82 (2015). Google Scholar  * De Menezes, M. O. T. _et al._ Patterns of mistletoe infestation in neotropical urban areas. _Urban Ecosyst._ https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-023-01363-7

(2023). Article  Google Scholar  * Szurpnicka, A., Kowalczuk, A. & Szterk, A. Biological activity of mistletoe: In vitro and in vivo studies and mechanisms of action. _Arch. Pharm. Res._

43, 593–629 (2020). Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar  * Song, C. _et al._ Exploring the resources of the genus Viscum for potential therapeutic applications. _J.

Ethnopharmacol._ 277, 114233 (2021). Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar  * Melzer, J., Iten, F., Hostanska, K. & Saller, R. Efficacy and safety of mistletoe preparations (_Viscum

album_ ) for patients with cancer diseases. _Complement Med. Res._ 16, 217–226 (2009). Article  Google Scholar  * Ostermann, T. _et al._ A systematic review and meta-analysis on the survival

of cancer patients treated with a fermented _Viscum album_ L. extract (Iscador): An update of findings. _Complement. Med. Res._ 27(4), 260–71 (2020). Article  PubMed  Google Scholar  *

Shatat, M. A. _et al._ Mistletoe lectin inhibits growth of Myc-amplified small-cell lung cancer. _Cancer Med._ 12, 8378–8387 (2023). Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar  * Gray, A. &

Flatt, P. Insulin-secreting activity of the traditional antidiabetic plant _Viscum album_ (mistletoe). _J. Endocrinol._ 160, 409–414 (1999). Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar  *

Poruthukaren, K. J., Palatty, P. L., Baliga, M. S. & Suresh, S. Clinical evaluation of _Viscum album_ mother tincture as an antihypertensive: A pilot study. _J. Evid. Based Complement.

Altern. Med._ 19, 31–35 (2014). Article  Google Scholar  * Suveren, E., Baxter, G. F., Iskit, A. B. & Turker, A. U. Cardioprotective effects of _Viscum album_ L. subsp. album (European

misletoe) leaf extracts in myocardial ischemia and reperfusion. _J. Ethnopharmacol._ 209, 203–209 (2017). Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar  * Hegde, P., Maddur, M. S., Friboulet, A.,

Bayry, J. & Kaveri, S. V. _Viscum album_ exerts anti-inflammatory effect by selectively inhibiting cytokine-induced expression of cyclooxygenase-2. _PLoS ONE_ 6, e26312 (2011). Article 

ADS  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar  * Hajtó, T. _et al._ Oncopharmacological perspectives of a plant lectin (_Viscum album_ Agglutinin-I): Overview of recent results from in

vitro experiments and in vivo animal models, and their possible relevance for clinical applications. _Evid. Based Complement. Altern. Med._ 2, 59–67 (2005). Article  Google Scholar  * Shah,

S. _et al._ Phytochemical screening and antimicrobial activities of stem, leaves and fruit extracts of _Viscum album_ L.. _J. Pure Appl. Microbio._ 11, 1337–1349 (2017). Article  CAS  Google

Scholar  * Franz, H., Ziska, P. & Kindt, A. Isolation and properties of three lectins from mistletoe (_Viscum album_ L.). _Biochem. J._ 195, 481–484 (1981). Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed

Central  Google Scholar  * Urech, K., Buessing, A., Thalmann, G., Schaefermeyer, H. & Heusser, P. Antiproliferative effects of mistletoe (_Viscum album_ L.) extract in urinary bladder

carcinoma cell lines. _Anticancer Res._ 26, 3049–3055 (2006). PubMed  Google Scholar  * Edlund, U., Hensel, A., Fröse, D., Pfüller, U. & Scheffler, A. Polysaccharides from fresh _Viscum

album_ L. berry extract and their interaction with _Viscum album_ agglutinin I.. _Arzneimittelforschung_ 50, 645–651 (2011). Article  Google Scholar  * Nazaruk, J. & Orlikowski, P.

Phytochemical profile and therapeutic potential of _Viscum album_ L.. _Nat. Prod. Res._ 30, 373–385 (2016). Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar  * Peñaloza, E. _et al._ Comprehensive

metabolome analysis of fermented aqueous extracts of _Viscum album_ L. by liquid chromatography−high resolution tandem mass spectrometry. _Molecules_ 25, 4006 (2020). Article  PubMed  PubMed

Central  Google Scholar  * Pietrzak, W. & Nowak, R. Impact of harvest conditions and host tree species on chemical composition and antioxidant activity of extracts from _Viscum album_

L.. _Molecules_ 26, 3741 (2021). Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar  * Segneanu, A. E. _et al._ Romanian _Viscum album_ L.—Untargeted low-molecular metabolomic approach to

engineered Viscum–AuNPs carrier assembly. _Plants_ 11(14), 1820 (2022). Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar  * Melo, M. N. D. O. _et al._ A scoping review of genus Viscum:

Biological and chemical aspects of alcoholic extracts. _Plants_ 12, 1811 (2023). Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar  * Felenda, J. E., Turek, C. & Stintzing, F. C.

Antiproliferative potential from aqueous _Viscum album_ L. preparations and their main constituents in comparison with ricin and purothionin on human cancer cells. _J. Ethnopharmacol._ 236,

100–107 (2019). Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar  * Rice, E. L. Allelopathy—An overview. In _Chemically mediated interactions between plants and other organisms_ (eds Cooper-Driver, G.

A. _et al._) 81–105 (Springer, 1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9658-2_4. Chapter  Google Scholar  * Cheng, F. & Cheng, Z. Research progress on the use of plant allelopathy in

agriculture and the physiological and ecological mechanisms of allelopathy. _Front. Plant Sci._ https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2015.01020 (2015). Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google

Scholar  * Wardle, D. A., Nilsson, M.-C., Gallet, C. & Zackrisson, O. An ecosystem-level perspective of allelopathy. _Biol. Rev._ 73, 305–319 (1998). Google Scholar  * Muzell Trezzi, M.,

Vidal, R. A., Balbinot Junior, A. A., von Hertwig, Bittencourt H. & da Silva Souza Filho, A. P. Allelopathy: Driving mechanisms governing its activity in agriculture. _J. Plant

Interact._ 11(1), 53–60 (2016). Article  Google Scholar  * Duke, S. O. Allelopathy: current status of research and future of the discipline: A Commentary. _Allelopath. J._ 25(1), 17–30

(2010). Google Scholar  * Lázaro-González, A. _et al._ Implications of mistletoe parasitism for the host metabolome: A new plant identity in the forest canopy. _Plant Cell Environ._ 44,

3655–3666 (2021). Article  PubMed  Google Scholar  * Singh, A. A., Rajeswari, G., Nirmal, L. A. & Jacob, S. Synthesis and extraction routes of allelochemicals from plants and microbes: A

review. _Rev. Anal. Chem._ 40, 293–311 (2021). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Macías, F. A., Mejías, F. J. & Molinillo, J. M. Recent advances in allelopathy for weed control: From

knowledge to applications: New advances in allelopathy for weed control. _Pest. Manag. Sci._ 75, 2413–2436 (2019). Article  PubMed  Google Scholar  * Qasem, J. R. Parasitic weeds and

allelopathy: from the hypothesis to the proofs. In _allelopathy_ (eds Reigosa, M. J. _et al._) 565–637 (Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/1-4020-4280-9_25. Chapter 

Google Scholar  * Priya, U. S. & Neelamegam, R. Evaluation of allelopathic effect of a hemeparasitic mistletoe plant, _Dendrophthoe falcata_ (L.F.) Ettingsh on _Oryza sativa_ and _Vigna

radiata_. _Int. J. Adv. Res. Biol. Sci._ 3, 114–121 (2016). CAS  Google Scholar  * Alharits, L., Hemelda, N. M. & Handayani, W. Allelopathic activity of Dendrophthoe pentandra as a

potential bioherbicide to inhibit seed germination and seedling growth of _Eleusine indica_. _Nusant. Biosci._ https://doi.org/10.13057/nusbiosci/n120106 (2020). Article  Google Scholar  *

Aniya, N. Y., Appiah, K. S., Fuerdeng, S. Y., Fujii, Y. & Xia, Q. Relationship between the antioxidant activity and allelopathic activities of 55 Chinese pharmaceutical plants. _Plants_

11(19), 2481 (2022). Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar  * Liu, Y., Chen, X., Duan, S., Feng, Y. & An, M. Mathematical modeling of plant allelopathic hormesis based on

ecological-limiting-factor models. _Dose-Response_ https://doi.org/10.2203/dose-response.09-050.Liu (2011). Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar  * Tomaszewska, K., Koziol, M.

& Iwanowska, A. The occurrence of mistletoe [_Viscum album_ L.] in some quartes of Wroclaw. _Zesz. Naukowe Akad. Rol. Wroc._ 85, 171–181 (2004). Google Scholar  * Skrypnik, L. _et al._

Biotechnological potential of different organs of mistletoe (_Viscum album_ L.) collected from various host tree species in an urban area. _Plants_ 11, 2686 (2022). Article  CAS  PubMed 

PubMed Central  Google Scholar  * Chandrashekhara, Niranjan Raj, S., Manjunath, G., Deepak, S. & Shekar, S. H. Seed treatment with aqueous extract of _Viscum album_ induces resistance to

pearl millet downy mildew pathogen. _J. Plant Interact._ 5(4), 283–91 (2010). Article  Google Scholar  * . https://www.protocols.io/view/preparation-of-aqueous-extracts-of-plants-szwef7e

(2018) https://doi.org/10.17504/protocols.io.szwef7e. * Możdżeń, K. _et al._ Allelopathic interaction between two common meadow plants: _Dactylis glomerata_ L. and _Trifolium pratense_ L..

_Biologia_ 75, 653–663 (2020). Article  Google Scholar  * Włodarczyk, K. & Smolińska, B. The effect of nano-zno on seeds germination parameters of different tomatoes (_Solanum

lycopersicum_ L.) cultivars. _Molecules_ 27, 4963 (2022). Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar  * Liava, V., Ntatsi, G. & Karkanis, A. Seed germination of three milk thistle

(_Silybum marianum_ (L.) Gaertn) populations of greek origin: Temperature, duration, and storage conditions effects. _Plants_ 12, 1025 (2023). Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar

  * Kader, M. A comparison of seed germination calculation formulae and the associated interpretation of resulting data. _J. Procd. R. S. N. S. W._ 138(3–4), 65–75 (2005). Google Scholar  *

Bravo-Navas, M. V. & Sánchez-Romero, C. Germination behavior and early seedling growth in Abies Pinsapo Boiss Seeds. _Plants_ 11, 2715 (2022). Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central 

Google Scholar  * Abdul-Baki, A. A. & Anderson, J. D. Vigor Determination in Soybean Seed by Multiple Criteria1. _Crop Sci._ 13, 630–633 (1973). Article  Google Scholar  * Zandi, P. _et

al._ The influence of aqueous extracts from _Stellaria media_ L. on the growth of _Zea mays_ L. cultivars. _Not. Bot. Horti Agrobot. Cluj. Napoc._ https://doi.org/10.15835/nbha47311597

(2019). Article  Google Scholar  * Bruce Williamson, G. & Richardson, D. Bioassays for allelopathy: Measuring treatment responses with independent controls. _J. Chem. Ecol._ 14, 181–7

(1988). Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar  * Mavi, K. & Uzunoğlu, F. Effects of pre-sowing treatments with allelopathic plant extracts on tree tomato (_Solanum betaceum_ Cav.)

seedling emergence and performance. _Agron. Colomb._ 38, 190–196 (2020). Article  Google Scholar  * Das, A. _et al._ Conservation tillage and nutrient management practices in summer rice

(_Oryza sativa_ L.) favoured root growth and phenotypic plasticity of succeeding winter pea (_Pisum sativum_ L.) under eastern Himalayas, India. _Heliyon_ 7, e07078 (2021). Article  CAS 

PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar  * Singleton, V. L., Orthofer, R. & Lamuela-Raventós, R. M. Analysis of total phenols and other oxidation substrates and antioxidants by means of

folin-ciocalteu reagent. In _Methods in Enzymology_ Vol. 299 152–178 (Elsevier, 1999). Google Scholar  * Vicaş, S. I., Rugină, D. & Socaciu, C. Comparative study about antioxidant

activities of _Viscum album_ from different host trees, harvested in different seasons. _J. Med. Plant. Res._ 5, 2237–2244 (2011). Google Scholar  * Molole, G. J., Gure, A. & Abdissa, N.

Determination of total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of _Commiphora mollis_ (Oliv.) Engl. resin. _BMC Chem._ 16, 48 (2022). Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar

  * Lipniak, K. & Kliszcz, A. Allelopathic effect of goosefoot on germination and early stage growth of triticale and radish. _AUPCStudiaNaturae_ https://doi.org/10.24917/25438832.5.8

(2020). Article  Google Scholar  * Olech, M. & Nowak, R. Influence of different extraction procedures on the antiradical activity and phenolic profile of Rosa rugosa petals. _Acta Pol.

Pharm._ 69, 501–507 (2012). CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar  * Benzie, I. F. F. & Strain, J. J. The ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) as a measure of “Antioxidant Power”: The FRAP

assay. _Anal. Biochem._ 239, 70–76 (1996). Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar  * Majeed, M. _et al._ Comparative study on phytochemical profile and antioxidant activity of an epiphyte,

_Viscum album_ L. (White Berry Mistletoe) derived from different host trees. _Plants_ 10, 1191 (2021). Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar  * Hu, K. Become competent within

one day in generating boxplots and violin plots for a novice without prior R experience. _MPs_ 3, 64 (2020). Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar  * Orawo, L. A. Confidence

intervals for the binomial proportion: A comparison of four methods. _OJS_ 11, 806–816 (2021). Article  Google Scholar  * Babicki, S. _et al._ Heatmapper: Web-enabled heat mapping for all.

_Nucleic. Acids Res._ 44, W147–W153 (2016). Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar  * Chiapusio, G., Sánchez, A. M., Reigosa, M. J., González, L. & Pellissier, F. Do

germination indices adequately reflect allelochemical effects on the germination process?. _J. Chem. Ecol._ 23, 2445–2453 (1997). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Soltys, D., Bogatek, R.

& Gniazdowska, A. Phytotoxic effects of cyanamide on seed germination and seedling growth of weed and crop species. _Acta Biol. Crac. Ser. Bot._ https://doi.org/10.2478/v10182-012-0025-8

(2012). Article  Google Scholar  * Scavo, A. _et al._ Allelopathy in durum wheat landraces as affected by genotype and plant part. _Plants_ 11, 1021 (2022). Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed

Central  Google Scholar  * Zhao, J., Yang, Z., Zou, J. & Li, Q. Allelopathic effects of sesame extracts on seed germination of moso bamboo and identification of potential

allelochemicals. _Sci. Rep._ 12, 6661 (2022). Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar  * Motalebnejad, M., Karimmojeni, H., Majidi, M. M. & Mastinu, A. Allelopathic

effect of aqueous extracts of grass genotypes on _Eruca sativa_ L.. _Plants_ 12, 3358 (2023). Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar  * Ilina, E. L. _et al._ Lateral root

initiation and formation within the parental root meristem of Cucurbita pepo: Is auxin a key player?. _Ann. Bot._ https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcy052 (2018). Article  PubMed  PubMed Central 

Google Scholar  * Dubrovsky, J. G. & Laskowski, M. Lateral root initiation. In _Encyclopedia of applied plant sciences_ 256–264 (Academic Press, 2017). Chapter  Google Scholar  * Kong,

L., Wang, F., Si, J., Feng, B. & Li, S. Water-soluble phenolic compounds in the coat control germination and peroxidase reactivation in _Triticum aestivum_ seeds. _Plant Growth Regul._

56, 275–283 (2008). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Wang, K. _et al._ Aqueous extracts of three herbs allelopathically inhibit lettuce germination but promote seedling growth at low

concentrations. _Plants_ 11, 486 (2022). Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar  * Salanenka, Y. A. & Taylor, A. G. Seedcoat permeability: Uptake and post-germination

transport of applied model tracer compounds. _HortScience_ 46(4), 622–6 (2011). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  * Üstüner, T. The effects of mistletoe (_Viscum album_ L.) on the physiological

properties of some drupe trees in Turkey. _Turk. J. Agric. For._ 43, 485–491 (2019). Article  Google Scholar  * Skrzypek, E., Repka, P., Stachurska-Swakon, A., Barabasz-Krasny, B. &

Mozdzen, K. Allelopathic effect of aqueous extracts from the leaves of peppermint (_Mentha piperita_ L.) on selected physiological processes of common sunflower (_Helianthus annuus_ L.).

_Not. Bot. Horti. Agrobo._ 43, 335–342 (2015). Article  CAS  Google Scholar  Download references FUNDING Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy we Wroclawiu. The APC is financed by Wrocław University of

Environmental and Life Sciences. AUTHOR INFORMATION AUTHORS AND AFFILIATIONS * Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław, Poland Oleksandra Strashok, Monika Ziemiańska 

& Marta Czaplicka * National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine Oleksandra Strashok & Vitalii Strashok Authors * Oleksandra Strashok View author

publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Monika Ziemiańska View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Marta

Czaplicka View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar * Vitalii Strashok View author publications You can also search for this author inPubMed Google

Scholar CONTRIBUTIONS Methodology and software O.S., V.S.; validation O.S. and M.Z.; formal analysis, investigation, O.S. and M.Z.; resources O.S.; data curation, M.Z. and O.S.;

writing—original draft preparation, O.S. and M.Z.; writing-review and editing M.Z., M.C.; visualization V.S.; supervision M.Z.; project administration M.C., V.S. Supplementory Figures O.S.

and M.Z. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript. CORRESPONDING AUTHOR Correspondence to Oleksandra Strashok. ETHICS DECLARATIONS COMPETING INTERESTS The

authors declare no competing interests. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION PUBLISHER'S NOTE Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional

affiliations. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION SUPPLEMENTARY FIGURES. RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS OPEN ACCESS This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License,

which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link

to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence,

unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory

regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. Reprints and permissions ABOUT THIS ARTICLE CITE THIS ARTICLE Strashok, O., Ziemiańska, M., Czaplicka, M. _et al._ Pre-treatment of _Cucurbita

maxima_ ‘Hokkaido orange’ by _Viscum album_ aqueous extracts in search of allelopathic potential. _Sci Rep_ 14, 14927 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-65918-0 Download citation *

Received: 30 November 2023 * Accepted: 25 June 2024 * Published: 28 June 2024 * DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-65918-0 SHARE THIS ARTICLE Anyone you share the following link with

will be able to read this content: Get shareable link Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. Copy to clipboard Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt

content-sharing initiative