Allelopathy in Agroecosystems

Contents: Preface. 1. Allelopathy in agroecosystems: an overview/H.P. Singh, Daizy R. Batish and R.K. Kohli. 2. Weed allelopathy, its ecological impacts and future prospects: a review/J.R. Qasem and C.L. Foy. 3. Crop allelopathy and its role in ecological agriculture/Daizy R. Batish, H.P. Singh, R.K. Kohli and Shalinder Kaur. 4. Weed control with crop residues in vegetable cropping systems/Allen V. Barker and Prasanta C. Bhowmik. 5. Allelopathic influence of decomposing wheat residues in agroecosystems/Ibrahim S. Alsaadawi. 6. Significance of allelopathy in crop rotation/A.P. Mamolos and K.L. Kalburtji. 7. Selective isolation and screening of soil microorganisms for metabolites with herbicidal potential/M.A.B. Mallik. 8. The use of allelopathic studies in the search for natural herbicides/Francisco A. Macias, Jose M.G. Molinillo, Juan C.G. Galindo, Rosa M. Varela, Ana M. Simonet and Diego Castellano. 9. Screening and future exploitation of allelopathic plants as alternative herbicides with special reference to hairy vetch/Yoshiharu Fujii. 10. Japanese research and developments on plant pathogens as weed control agents/Fumio Sugawara. 11. Allelopathic potential in rice germplasm against ducksalad, redstem and barnyard grass/Robert H. Dilday, John D. Mattice, Karen A. Moldenhauer and Wengui Yan. 12. Effects of application of alfalfa pellet on germination and growth of weeds/T.D. Xuan and E. Tsuzuki. 13. Allelopathic effects of some volatile substances from the tomato plant/Young Sik Kim and Bong-Seop Kil. 14. Growth stage of Cyperus esculentus influences its allelopathic effect on ectomycorrhizal and higher plant species/C.F. Reinhardt and S.R. Bezuidenhout. 15. Autotoxic potential of cucurbit crops: phenomenon, chemicals, mechanisms and means to overcome/Jing Quan Yu. 16. Effects of alfalfa saponins on In Vitro physiological activity of soil and rhizosphere bacteria/Robert E. Hoagland, Robert M. Zablotowicz and Wieslaw A. Oleszek. 17. Activity and persistence of Sorgoleone, a long-chain hydroquinone produced by Sorghum bicolor/L.A. Weston and M.A. Czarnota. 18. Role of Benzoxazinones in cereals/Annette Friebe. 19. Allelopathic research in permanent improved pastures in inland temperate Australia/J.E. Pratley. 20. Allelopathy in agroecosystems in Spain/Luis Gonzalez and Manuel J. Reigosa. Index.

From the preface: "The enigmatic, silent and complex biochemical interactions among plants, including microbes, generally go unnoticed in nature but lead to changes in vegetation structure, composition and species diversity. Such biochemical interactions, termed as allelopathy, have emerged as a full fledged scientific discipline falling within the framework of chemical ecology. Allelochemicals are produced in plants as defensive compounds and upon release influence the growth and development of biological systems in different ecosystems. Allelopathy is now viewed with multifaceted approach and is recognized as a key factor in vegetation patterning, succession, forest regeneration and influencing growth and yield of other plants.

In agroecosystems, the influence of allelopathy on crop plants was probably realized from the beginning of the civilization when agriculture began. Generally, it is viewed as a causal factor in decreasing yield of crop plants. Accumulation of allelochemicals in the fields causes soil sickness and thereby the growth and yield of crop plants particularly when the same crop is grown continuously in monocultures. The problem of soil sickness is attributed to autotoxicity (autoallelopathy). During the last few years, this science has attracted the attention of scientists world over because of the pesticidal potential of allelochemicals. Allelopathic interactions in agricultural fields also influence soil microbial ecology, nutrient dynamics and various biotic and abiotic factors."