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Multifaceted Attributes of Allelochemicals and Mechanism of Allelopathy

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Allelopathy

Abstract

These allelochemicals are phytochemicals belonging to the class of phenolics, terpenoids, flavonoids, glucosinolates, Cyanogenic glycosides, saponins, and alkaloids that are capable of causing “allelochemical stress” on the receiver plants and influence the pattern of vegetation in a forest, agriculture fields, uncultivated open areas, and also affect crop productivity. Allelochemicals are involved in plant invasion and plant–plant communication in the rhizosphere, replant problems in orchards of peach, citrus, jackfruit, mango, etc., and exhibit selective toxicity. Allelochemicals and their analogs are used commercially as herbicide, growth promoter, and as a sweetener. Allelochemicals can affect a number of physiological actions such as alter the membrane functions, plant metabolism, photosynthesis, respiration, flowering, fruiting, seeding, and ultimately even cause death of the organisms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Plant Physiology Laboratory, Department of Botany, Bangalore University, Bangalore, 560056, Karnataka, India

    S. R. Ambika

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  1. S. R. Ambika
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Correspondence to S. R. Ambika .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan

    Zahid A. Cheema

  2. Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan

    Muhammad Farooq

  3. , Department of Botany, University of Agriculture, street, Faisalabad, 38040, Pakistan

    Abdul Wahid

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Ambika, S.R. (2013). Multifaceted Attributes of Allelochemicals and Mechanism of Allelopathy. In: Cheema, Z., Farooq, M., Wahid, A. (eds) Allelopathy. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-30595-5_16

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