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Essential oil composition and comparative phytotoxic activity of fennel, summer savory, Mexican marigold and feverfew: a potential bioherbicide

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Abstract

Due to the negative impacts of synthetic herbicides on environment and human health, using natural products such as plant derivatives are getting more attention. This investigation was conducted to compare the herbicidal effects of essential oils from Foeniculum vulgare var. azoricum, Satureja hortensis L., Tagetes minuta L., and Tanacetum parthenium L. against two noxious weeds, Hordeum spontaneum L. and Amaranthus retroflexus L. The suppressive effects of essential oils at different concentrations (0. 100, 200, 400, 600 and 800 µL L−1) on seed germination and seedling growth of the aforesaid weeds were tested. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis of the tested essential oils showed that (E)-anethole (84.32%) and γ-terpinene (59.75%) were the major oil constituents of F. vulgare var. azoricum and S. hortensis, respectively. Dihydro-tagetone (62.57%) comprised the major component of T. minuta and camphor (56.63%) was the main constituent of T. parthenium. All examined essential oils strongly inhibited the germination and primary growth of the tested weeds. Lowest germination percentage of H. spontaneum and A. retroflexus were observed when treated with T. parthenium and T. minuta, respectively. Findings of the present study showed that studied essential oils can be used as potentially natural herbicides.

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Funding

This work was funded by Shiraz University.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Shiraz University, 71441-65186, Shiraz, Iran

    Azin Taban, Somayeh Rastegar, Marzyeh Nasirzadeh & Mohammad Jamal Saharkhiz

  2. Medicinal Plants Processing Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

    Mohammad Jamal Saharkhiz

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  1. Azin Taban
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  2. Somayeh Rastegar
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  3. Marzyeh Nasirzadeh
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  4. Mohammad Jamal Saharkhiz
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Correspondence to Mohammad Jamal Saharkhiz.

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Taban, A., Rastegar, S., Nasirzadeh, M. et al. Essential oil composition and comparative phytotoxic activity of fennel, summer savory, Mexican marigold and feverfew: a potential bioherbicide. Vegetos 35, 502–510 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42535-021-00325-8

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