Allelopathic interactions in agroecosystems

Abstract

Allelopathy plays a significant role in the agroecosystems leading to a wide array of interactions among crops, weeds and trees. Generally, these interactions are deleterious to the receiver plants but may also provide a selective advantage to the donor. In agroecosystems, it leads to the problem of soil sickness or causes the autotoxicity that adversely affect the crops and thus their yield. The allelochemicals released from plant and their residues accumulate in the fields and add to further problems. However, if properly understood and managed, allelopathy and allelochemicals -the chemicals involved, can be used for practical weed and pest management. In fact, it is now being viewed as an important tool in sustainable agriculture. In this direction, a number of strategies like use of cover or smother or green manure crops for weed management, and direct use of allelochemicals as natural herbicides and pesticides are followed. Efforts are being made to improve present day crop cultivars for better competitive ability by transferring genes through cultivar selection and from other sources. The purified allelochemicals and/or their derivatives can directly be used as novel agrochemicals for sustainable management in an ecofriendly manner.