Allelochemicals in the rhizosphere soil of Euphorbia himalayensis

J Agric Food Chem. 2014 Aug 27;62(34):8555-61. doi: 10.1021/jf502020v. Epub 2014 Aug 14.

Abstract

Weed infestation has been known to cause considerable reductions in crop yields, thereby hindering sustainable agriculture. Many plants in genus Euphorbia affect neighboring plants and other organisms by releasing chemicals into the environment. In view of the serious threat of weeds to agriculture, the allelochemicals of Euphorbia himalayensis and their allelopathic effects were investigated. The extract of root exudates from rhizosphere soil exhibited allelopathic activities against crops (wheat, rape, and lettuce) and grasses (Poa annua, Festuca rubra, and red clover). Bioassay-guided fractionation and isolation from the root extract of E. himalayensis led to the characterization of two ellagic acid derivatives and a jatrophane diterpene, which observably showed phytotoxic activities against lettuce, Festuca arundinacea, and F. rubra. They were further confirmed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to have concentrations of 3.6, 3.8, and 8.99 nmol/g in the rhizospere soil, respectively. Bioassay indicated that the combination of the allelochemicals could be selective plant growth regulator in agriculture.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Allelopathy
  • Biological Assay
  • Crops, Agricultural / drug effects
  • Crops, Agricultural / growth & development
  • Euphorbia / chemistry*
  • Euphorbia / metabolism
  • Euphorbia / toxicity
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Pheromones / chemistry*
  • Pheromones / metabolism
  • Pheromones / toxicity
  • Plant Exudates / chemistry*
  • Plant Exudates / metabolism
  • Plant Exudates / toxicity
  • Plant Roots / chemistry
  • Plant Roots / metabolism
  • Plant Roots / toxicity
  • Plant Weeds / chemistry*
  • Plant Weeds / metabolism
  • Plant Weeds / toxicity
  • Rhizosphere*
  • Soil / chemistry

Substances

  • Pheromones
  • Plant Exudates
  • Soil