Abstract
The concept that some crop plants may be allelopathic to common weeds of agricultural lands is receiving greater attention as an alternative weed control strategy. Several crops showing promise are: grain and forage species such as barley (Hordeum), oat (A vena), fescue (Festuca), and sorghum (Sorghum), and the agronomic species of corn (Zea) and sunflower (Helianthus). Among the problems that hinder the conclusive demonstration of allelopathic effects of crop plants are the loss of that capacity through selection and the variability among cultivars. Recent studies to evaluate the allelopathic potential of crop plants have shown that several sunflower varieties inhibit the germination and growth of associated weeds and to a greater extent than found in several biotypes of native sunflower. Aqueous extracts of dried sunflower and rape tissue inhibited or stimulated germination and growth of weeds, and the response depended upon the source of extract, the extract concentration, and the weed species tested. The validity of bioassay results was tested in a 5-year field study with sunflower and oat grown in rotation. Weed density increased in all plots but the extent of increase was significantly less in plots of sunflower than in control plots. The use of crop plants with increased allelochemical production could limit the need for conventional herbicides to early season application with late season control provided by the crop.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Altieri, M.A., andDoll, J.D. 1978. The potential of allelopathy as a tool for weed management in crop fields.PANS 24:495–502.
Barnes, J.P., andPutnam, A.R. 1982. Weed suppression with rye cover crops in vegetable cropping systems.Annu. Meet. Weed Sci. Soc. Am. p. 67 (abstract).
Fay, P.K., andDuke, W.B. 1977. An assessment of allelopathic potential inAvena germ plasm.Weed Sci. 25:224–228.
Funke, G.L. 1941. Essai de phytosociologie experimentale.Bull. Soc. Hist. Nat. Toulouse 76:19–21.
Goldsmith, F.B., andHasrison, C.M. 1976. Description and analysis of vegetation, pp. 85–155,in S.B. Chapman (ed.). Methods in Plant Ecology. John Wiley & Sons, New York.
Hoaoland, D.R., andArnon, D.I. 1950. The water-culture method for growing plants without soil.Calif. Agric. Exp. Stn. Manual 347 (rev. ed.) 32 pp.
Leather, G.R. 1983. Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus) are alleopathic to weeds.Weed Sci. 31:37–42.
Lehle, F.R., andPutnam, A.R. 1982. Allelopathic potential of sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) herbage: Isolation of acid inhibitors of seed germination.Annu. Meet. Weed Sci. Soc. Am. p. 67 (abstract).
Lockerman, R.H., andPutnam, A.R. 1979. Evaluation of allelopathic cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) as an aid to weed control.Weed Sci. 27:54–57.
Lockerman, R.H., andPutnam, A.R. 1981. Growth inhibitors in cucumber plants and seeds.J. Am. Soc. Hortic. Sci. 106:418–422.
Massantini, F., Caporali, F., andZellini, G. 1977. Evidence for allelopathic control of weeds in lines of soybean.Proc. EWRS Symp. Methods of Weed Control and Their Integr. 1:23–28.
Putnam, A.R., andDuke, W.B. 1974. Biological suppression of weeds: Evidence for allelopathy in accessions of cucumbers.Science 185:370–372.
Putnam, A.R., andDuke, W.B. 1978. Allelopathy in agroecosystems.Annu. Rev. Phytopathol. 16:431–451.
Rice, E.L. 1974. Allelopathy, Academic Press Inc., New York, 353 pp.
Rice, E.L. 1979. Allelopathy—an update.Bot. Rev. 45:15–109.
Wilson, R.E., andRice, E.L. 1968. Allelopathy as expressed byHelianthus annuus and its role in old-field succession.Bull. Torrey Bot. Club 95:432–448.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Leather, G.R. Weed control using allelopathic crop plants. J Chem Ecol 9, 983–989 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00982205
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00982205