Abstract
Tricolorin A acts as pre- and post-emergence plant growth inhibitor. In pre-emergence it displays broad-spectrum weed control, inhibiting germination of both monocotyledonous (Lolium mutliflorum and Triticum vulgare) and dicotyledonous (Physalis ixocarpa and Trifolium alexandrinum) seeds, being the dicotyledonous seeds the most inhibited. Tricolorin A also inhibited seedling growth, and seed respiration, and since the concentrations required for inhibiting both germination and respiration were similar, we suggest that respiration is one of its targets. Tricolorin A at 60 µM acts as a post- emergence plant growth inhibitor by reducing dry plant biomass by 62%, 37%, 33%, and 22% for L. multiflorum, T. alexandrinum, T. vulgare, and P. ixocarpa, respectively, 18 days after its application. In order to determine the potency of tricolorin A as a plant growth inhibitor, paraquat was used as control; the results indicate that tricolorin A acts as a non-selective post-emergence plant growth inhibitor similar to paraquat, since both reduced the biomass production in P. ixocarpa and T. alexandrinum. Therefore, we suggest that tricolorin A will be a good biodegradable herbicide for weeds.
Highlights
The widespread use of synthetic herbicides to manage weeds has resulted in herbicide-resistant weeds and in addition public concerns over the impact that synthetic herbicides may have on human health and in the environment are increasing [1,2,3]
Continuing with the characterization of tricolorin A as an inhibitor of the light reaction of photosynthesis, we found that at low concentrations it acts as a potent uncoupler, with an UC50 value of 0.33 μM in spinach chloroplasts, but at higher concentration it behaved as a Hill reaction inhibitor with an IC50 value of μM
Tricolorin A at 60 μM acted as a non-selective post-emergent weed growth inhibitor since 18 days after its application the dry biomass was reduced for all plants studied; this represents the first report of tricolorin acting as a post-emergent herbicide
Summary
The widespread use of synthetic herbicides to manage weeds has resulted in herbicide-resistant weeds and in addition public concerns over the impact that synthetic herbicides may have on human health and in the environment are increasing [1,2,3]. These concerns are shifting attention to alternative weed control technologies based on natural products [1,3]. Many natural products inhibit plant growth, and some of these are allelochemicals The size of this category of natural products depends upon the definition of allelopathy [4]. Allelopathy appears to be an important component of plant interference capability in a variety of natural ecosystems [6]
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