Abstract
Cyanamide was isolated from the leaves and stems of hairy vetch (Vicia villosa), guided by plant growth inhibitory activity against lettuce (Lectuca sativa) seedlings. A large proportion of the inhibitory activity in the crude extract was explained by the presence of cyanamide, suggesting it to be a possible allelochemical in this species. The amount in a 9-day-old seedling, which had been grown without nutrients, reached approx. 40 times that of a nongerminated seed, demonstrating cyanamide biosynthesis in the seedlings. This is the first report on the isolation of a possible allelochemical from hairy vetch and also of the finding of cyanamide as a natural product.
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Kamo, T., Hiradate, S. & Fujii, Y. First Isolation of Natural Cyanamide as a Possible Allelochemical from Hairy Vetch Vicia villosa . J Chem Ecol 29, 275–283 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022621709486
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022621709486