Methods of extraction and identification of essential oils and their bioherbicidal potential

Abstract

To avoid the harmful effects of synthetic herbicides on human health and environment, and the development of herbicide resistance in weeds, considerable effort has been devoted to finding alternative products derived from natural sources. Allelopathy is the biological phenomenon of chemical interactions, and must be taken into account in addressing weed problems in future sustainable agriculture. Essential oils are volatile and concentrated liquids extracted from different parts of plants. Bioactive compounds found in EOs, especially terpenes and terpenoids possess a wide range of biological activities including anticancer, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiallergic and allelopathic. Essential oils from many aromatic, cultivated plants and weeds are sources of compounds with bioherbicidal potential. This review is focused on chemical composition of essential oils, traditional and innovative methods of extraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, which we can use for analyze the composition of the essential oil. Also, this review discusses possible ways of testing the bioherbicidal properties of essential oils. Knowledge of essential oil extraction and identification methods is necessary for further studies, in order to evaluate the phytotoxic activity of these compounds under controlled conditions, determine their activity in the field, evaluate their safety, and assess their modes of action.