Abstract
This study focused on the potential allelopathy of 50 species of Chinese medicinal plants, which are mainly distributed in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Inner Mongolia, and Yunnan Province. The “sandwich method” was adopted and used for the screening for allelopathic potential among these plant species. Further phytotoxic evaluation of the candidate species was conducted by applying plant extracts to crops and weed species. The results of this study indicated that among the 50 medicinal plant species evaluated, the fruits of Illicium verum Hook. f. (star anise) showed the most significant allelopathic potential through the leaf leachates. Shikimic acid was identified to be the main bioactive compound (about 7% dry weight) in star anise by reversed-phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC) analysis. The phytotoxic bioassay indicated that both the crude extract of the Chinese star anise and the synthetic shikimic acid showed strong inhibitory activity on the radicle and hypocotyl growth of lettuce. The radicle growth inhibition of lettuce caused by the crude extract of star anise could be explained by the contribution of the biological activity of shikimic acid. In conclusion, shikimic acid could be a putative allelochemical in the fruits of Illicium verum and could be utilized in sustainable weed management.
Highlights
The management of weeds on the field is an important measure for crop production in most countries including China
This study focused on Chinese medicinal plants and the evaluation of their allelopathic activity
High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis demonstrated that the shikimic acid the fruits of Illicium verum Hook. f. showed the highest allelopathic activity
Summary
The management of weeds on the field is an important measure for crop production in most countries including China. Weeds constantly compete with crop plants, causing considerable crop productivity losses in many agricultural systems. Weeds have been documented as serious plant pests since ancient times [1]. Weeds have always played a significant role throughout the domestication of crop plants, necessitating the practice of weed control measures [1]. Herbicides are widely used to control weeds, but there are some environmental concerns about their excessive use. Cases of herbicide resistant/tolerant weeds are gradually on the rise [2]. Allelopathy is a phenomenon observed in many organisms (especially in plants) that involves the production and release of bioactive compounds into the environment
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