Abstract
Crotalaria (Fabaceae) occurs abundantly in tropical and subtropical regions and has about 600 known species. These plants are widely used in agriculture, mainly as cover plants and green manures, in addition to their use in the management of phytonematodes. A striking feature of these species is the production of pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), secondary allelochemicals involved in plant defense against herbivores. In Crotalaria species, monocrotaline is the predominant PA, which has many biological activities reported, including cytotoxicity, tumorigenicity, hepatotoxicity and neurotoxicity, with a wide range of ecological interactions. Thus, studies have sought to elucidate the effects of this compound to promote an increase in flora and fauna (mainly insects and nematodes) associated with agroecosystems, favoring the natural biological control. This review summarizes information about the monocrotaline, showing such effects in these environments, both above and below ground, and their potential use in pest management programs.
Highlights
Crotalaria is a genus of the Fabaceae family, it covering about 600 species that are divided into sections based on floral morphology (Flores et al, 2009)
Crotalaria species are known to contain non-protein amino acids and pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) in their constitution, and the main compound is called monocrotaline (Mattocks, 1986; Hartmann and Witte, 1995; Wink and Mohamed, 2003; Flores et al, 2009; Schramm et al, 2019)
Plants of the Crotalaria genus have been used for various purposes in agriculture and industry
Summary
Crotalaria is a genus of the Fabaceae family, it covering about 600 species that are divided into sections based on floral morphology (Flores et al, 2009). Crotalaria species are known to contain non-protein amino acids and pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) in their constitution, and the main compound is called monocrotaline (Mattocks, 1986; Hartmann and Witte, 1995; Wink and Mohamed, 2003; Flores et al, 2009; Schramm et al, 2019) Derived from such plants or in isolation, these PAs have biological activities previously reported, including cytotoxicity, tumorigenicity, hepatotoxicity, and neurotoxicity in humans and animals, and influencing a wide range of ecological interactions The cultivation of Crotalaria is widely used in agriculture, mainly, due to the high biomass production and nutrient cycling, especially nitrogen (Lima Filho et al, 2014) These plants can be inserted in agroecosystems with greater intensity so that they can play an important role in integrated pest and disease management. We analyze some characteristics of the Crotalaria species, especially its chemical composition, relating the influence exerted by such plants on the associated fauna, above and below ground, when inserted in agroecosystems, highlighting their potential use as a cultural management strategy in integrated pest management programs
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
