Cynara cardunculus Crude Extract as a Powerful Natural Herbicide and Insight into the Mode of Action of Its Bioactive Molecules

Abstract

The use of chemical herbicides could not only potentially induce negative impacts on the environment, animals, and human health, but also increase the weed resistance to herbicides. In this context, the use of plant extracts could be an interesting and natural alternative to chemical products. It is important to understand the mode of action of their bioactive compounds. This is why we have studied the herbicidal effect of Cynara cardunculus crude extract in terms of inhibition of weeds’ seedling growth and its impact on physiological parameters of treated plantlets, like conductivity, dry weight, and fluorescence, and biochemical parameters linked to oxidative stress. We have observed that C. cardunculus crude extract induces oxidative stress in the treated plants and consequently disturbs the physiological and biochemical functions of the plant cells. We have investigated the herbicidal activity of three bioactive compounds, naringenin, myricitrin, and quercetin, from the C. cardunculus crude extract. In both pre- and post-emergence trials, naringenin and myricitrin were significantly more phytotoxic than quercetin. We suggest that their differential initial interaction with the plant’s plasma membrane could be one of the main signals for electrolyte leakage and production of high levels of phenoxyl radicals.

Bioherbicides: An Eco-Friendly Tool for Sustainable Weed Management

“…The phenolic extract of C. cardunculus possesses phytotoxic properties due to the presence of an aromatic ring in its composition, which consists of multiple hydroxyl groups [65]. These phytotoxic properties destroy the plasma membrane, contributing to the initial and fundamental impacts of oxidative stress.…”

“…is one of the first protection lines for ROS and stomatal reactions involved in the O 2 metabolism in plants [120]. It regulates lipid peroxidation and inhibits ROS damage to the membrane system, while hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) could be a strong oxidizing agent, producing highly reactive OHthat may decompose into H 2 O and O 2 by POD and CAT, thereby preventing possible ROS oxidative damage in plants [65]. SOD, POD, and CAT highly suppressed physiological activity in rice that was exposed to volatile allelochemicals (octane and undecane), and this activity was gradually enhanced as their concentrations increased [129].…”

Tailored Functionalization of Natural Phenols to Improve Biological Activity

“…Interestingly, myricitrin (myricetin-3- O - α -L-rhamnopyranoside) [ 389 ] and naringenin, present in extracts of Cynara cardunculus , a powerful natural herbicide, exhibited phytotoxic effects on the leaves of Trifolium incarnatum , opening the way to natural herbicides, a field increasingly important due the increasing resistance of weeds to commonly used ones [ 396 ].…”

Efeito alelopático de Solanum pimpinellifolium L. sobre a germinação e crescimento inicial de Lactuca sativa e Bidens pilosa

“…Pesquisas têm sido realizadas em busca de plantas que favoreçam a inibição natural, consistindo na produção de substâncias alelopáticas que atuem inibindo o crescimento e o desenvolvimento de plantas invasoras [9,10]. Solanum pimpinellifolium L., conhecido vulgarmente como tomatinho, tomate-de-molho ou tomate-do-mato, pertence à família Solanaceae, é uma erva anual, rasteira, de ramos alongados e ramificados.…”