Affiliation:
1. Department of Applied Biological Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Kagawa University, Miki, Kagawa 761-0795, Japan
Abstract
The spices of Pinus, the most widespread genus of the Pinaceae family in the
northern hemisphere, often have sparse understory vegetation. However, sunlight intensity on
the pine forest floor is sufficient for undergrowth. Allelopathy, therefore, is considered to be
involved in the formation of sparse understory vegetation. The evidence for the allelopathy of
several pine species has accumulated in the literature over the decades. Extracts of pine needle-
like leaves, roots, litter, and soil under pine trees suppressed several plant species, including
undergrowth plant species of pine forests. A substantial number of secondary metabolites
such as terpenoids, phenolics, cinnamic acids, carboxylic acids, fatty acids, and flavonoids
have been identified in pine needles and roots, litter and soil under pine trees. The evidence
also suggests that some of these compounds are probably released into the soil through the
decomposition of the plant litter, and into the surrounding environment as volatiles. The most active compounds
found in the pine soil were methyl 15-hydroxy-7-oxodehydroabietate and 7-oxodehydroabietic acid; both compounds
may also be formed through the degradation of resin acids, which were found abundantly in pine trees. Bioactive
compounds released into the soil and surrounding environment possibly act as allelochemicals and suppress the invasion
of undergrowth plants into the forests, resulting in the establishment of the sparse understory vegetation. The
paper summarized the allelopathic activity of 16 Pinus species and 38 allelochamicals.
Publisher
Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
Cited by
5 articles.
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