Allelochemicals: Role in Plant-Environment Interactions

Contents: Foreword. Preface. Introduction. 1. Allelochemicals. 2. Plant-environment interactions. 3. Allelopathy. 4. Allelochemicals release mechanisms. 5. Bioassays. 6. Allelochemicals: localization and bioactivity range. 7. Environmental modulation. 8. Mechanisms of action. 9. Impact on ecosystems. 10. Applications of allelopathic interactions. 11. Separation and identification of allelochemicals. References. Index.

"During evolution, the plants developed new biosynthetic pathways to produce secondary metabolites (flavonoids, alkaloids, cyanogenic glycosides, glucosinolates, phenolics and tannins) known as allelochemicals. These provide adaptative advantages to plants for survival against herbivores, pests (insects, nematodes, pathogens, weeds), environmental stresses and other plants. They can be considered as the chemical language of plants, which continuously changes and increases in complexity with their evolution. Allelopathy phenomenon refers to inhibitory or stimulatory biochemical interactions between the plant-plants, plant-predators and plant-pathogens mediated by plant allelochemicals released into the environment as leachates, volatiles, root exudates and decomposition of plant residues. The allelochemicals affects numerous biochemical reactions/metabolic processes (photosynthesis and respiration etc) in plants and such actions may be determined at molecular, structural, biochemical, physiological and ecological levels. This book aims to provide an overview of structure, origin and mode of release of plant allelochemicals and their biological roles in allelopathic interactions. The book contains introduction 11 chapters. Chapter I: Allelochemicals, describes main groups of secondary metabolites involved in allelopathic interactions. Chapter 2: Plant-environment interactions, deals with molecular inter/intraspecific interactions between the plants. Chapter 3: Allelopathy, is an overview of concept and definition of allelopathy science. Chapter 4: Releasing mechanisms, describes modes of release of allelochemical from donor plants. Chapter 5: Bioassays, explains bioassays currently used in allelopathy research. Chapter 6: Localization and bioactivity range, describes how organ, ontogenic state and cellular compartmentalization affects the allelochemical production and accumulation etc. Chapter 7: Environmental modulation, describes how the environmental factors influence the allelochemicals production/release from donor plants and response of receptor plants. Chapter 8: Mechanisms of action, explains current knowledge about the allelochemicals affects on growth and development of receptor plants. Chapter 9: Impact on ecosystems, describes how the allelochemicals affects the natural and managed ecosystems. Chapter 10: Applications of allelopathic interactions, provides current uses of allelopathy in agriculture. Chapter 11: Separation and identification of allelochemicals, explains general tips for phytochemical studies in allelopathy research. This book describes the chemical basis of allelopathic interactions at molecular levels. It will be very useful to students and researchers in biology, agriculture, organic chemistry and other plant sciences." (jacket)