The phytotoxic potential of plants and the effect of their active components on another plant species is being explored as a potential alternative to synthetic herbicides for weed control. In the current study, we investigated the phytotoxic potential of the leaves of Dregea volubilis (L.f.) Benth. ex Hook.f. against four test plants [timothy (Phleum pratense L.), barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv), lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)] and observed significant growth inhibition on those plants at concentrations >3 mg D.W. equivalent extract mL−1. A bioassay-governed purification of the D. volubilis extracts using different chromatography phases produced two growth inhibitory compounds, 3-hydroxy-α-ionone (compound 1) and 5-hydroxy-3,4-dimethyl-5-pentylfuran-2(5H)-one (compound 2). The compounds retarded the growth of barnyard grass and cress (Lepidium sativum L.) with I50 (concentration required for 50% growth suppression) values ranging from 0.098 to 0.450 mM for 3-hydroxy-α-ionone and 0.029 to 0.420 mM for 5-hydroxy-3,4-dimethyl-5-pentylfuran-2(5H)-one. Thus, the extracts and identified compounds may have the possibility to be utilized as bioagents for weed control.
Allelopathic plants and their related phytotoxic chemicals have been explored as alternatives for environmentally friendly weed management. Dregea volubilis (L.f.) Benth. ex Hook.f., a woody vine, is well-known for its uses in various therapeutic treatments, and several bioactive compounds have been isolated from this species. However, to date, no phytotoxic substances from D. volubilis have been reported. Hence, in this research, we aimed to investigate the allelopathic effect of D. volubilis and characterize its phytotoxic substances. Extracts of D. volubilis exhibited significant inhibitory activity against the seedling growth of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) and cress (Lepidium sativum L.). The extracts were purified through several chromatography steps, yielding two phytotoxic substances, and using spectroscopy, their structures were determined as dehydrovomifoliol and loliolide. The compounds inhibited the Italian ryegrass and cress seedlings with the I50 (concentrations needed for 50% inhibition) values ranging from 0.022 to 0.102 mM, for loliolide and 3.24–4.60 mM, for dehydrovomifoliol. These results suggest that both phytotoxic compounds might be responsible for the allelopathy of D. volubilis, and they may be released into the soil through the decomposition of the D. volubilis leaf and probably act as allelopathic active substances. Therefore, the extracts of D. volubilis and its related phytotoxic compounds may be applied as biological agents for controlling weeds.
Acacia pennata (L.) Willd (Mimosaceae), a woody climbing plant, is used as a traditional medicinal plant in the South and Southeast Asia regions and has been documented to have various pharmacological effects. However, the allelopathy of this plant still remains unclear. Thus, the allelopathic potential of A. pennata leaf extracts was examined against the seedling growth of dicot plants [alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), cress (Lepidium sativum L.), and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.)] and monocot plants [barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv.), Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.), and timothy (Phleum pratense L.)] at six different concentrations. The results showed that the A. pennata leaf extracts inhibited the seedling growth of all the test plant species at concentrations ≥3 mg dry weight (D.W.) equivalent extract mL-1. The inhibitory activity of the extracts against both shoot and root growth varied with concentration and tested plants. The concentrations required for 50% inhibition of the test plant shoots and roots were 1.5-16.1 and 1.4-8.6 mg D.W. equivalent extract mL-1, respectively. The root growth of all the test plant species was more sensitive to the extracts than their shoot growth, except alfalfa. The results of the present study indicate that the A. pennata leaf extracts may have allelopathic potential and may contain allelopathic substances. Therefore, further studies are required for isolation and identification of the growth inhibitory substances which are responsible for the allelopathic effect of A. pennata.
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