Allelochemicals from Plants as Herbicides

Abstract

Allelochemicals representing numerous chemical groups have been isolated from over 30 families of terrestrial and aquatic plants. Some of the compounds also have been isolated from soil in quantities sufficient to reduce plant growth. Although selected allelochemicals are believed to influence plant densities and distributions, none isolated from higher plants have been considered active enough for development as commercial herbicidal products. Almost all herbicidal allelochemicals exist in plants in nontoxic, conjugated forms. The toxic moiety may be released upon exposure to stress or upon death of the tissue. The most successful use of allelochemicals in weed control has been management of selectively toxic plant residues. For example, rye residues have controlled weeds effectively in a variety of cropping systems. Several weed species may interfere with crop growth through chemicals released from their residues. A number of noxious perennial species appear to exploit allelochemicals in their interference processes. This review focuses on the more recent chemical discoveries and how they might be exploited for weed control.