Fungal metabolites as a natural source of herbicide: a novel approach of weed management

Abstract

Weeds are undesirable vegetation directly or indirectly inferring with human welfare. Conventional methods of weed control have failed due to one or other reason. Herbicide-resistant weeds are the main problem in weed control due to the number of weed biotypes resistant to herbicides that constantly increases by the continuous use of the same products for years. Development of alternative weed control methods is needed to help decrease reliance on herbicide use. Biological weed control is an alternative option for weed problems, particularly in agriculture and forestry. It is based on the use of natural enemies, particularly insects and pathogens to control weeds, as a sustainable, low cost and more environmentally acceptable method of weed control. One of the approaches to biological weed control using fungal phytotoxin applied in similar ways to conventional herbicides. Fungal phytotoxins are natural secondary metabolites produced by plant pathogenic fungi during host–pathogen interactions. They have received considerable particular attention for elucidating disease etiology, and consequently to design strategies for disease control. Due to wide differences in their chemical structures, these toxic metabolites have different ecological and environmental roles and mechanisms of action. This review aims at summarizing the studies on the possible use of fungal phytotoxin as a lucrative, novel source of secondary phytotoxic herbicidal compounds for management of broad spectrum, noxious and pernicious weeds.