Allelopathy determines the dynamics of plant species in different environments. Understanding this biological phenomenon could help to develop applications in both natural and agricultural systems. This review summarizes the genetic and environmental characteristics that control the production and release of allelochemicals in agroecosystems. This study highlights the current understanding of the environmental changes caused by allelochemicals and summarizes the knowledge about the mechanisms of action of these compounds. Finally, it reviews novel applications of allelopathy in agricultural production systems, including the role of allelochemicals in consortia and their potential use in no-tillage cropping systems through cover crops or mulches.

Resistance to acetolactate synthase (ALS)-inhibiting herbicides in Brazil has been documented for six species. The probability to select biotypes of Euphorbia heterophylla (EPPHL) with multiple resistance increases in the same order of magnitude as the use of other herbicides belonging to only one mechanism of action. The objectives of this work were to evaluate the distribution of resistant populations (R) in the states of the Parana and Santa Catarina; to determine the existence of populations of EPHHL with multiple resistance to ALS and PROTOX inhibitors, and to confirm the occurrence of cross resistance to compounds of these mechanisms of action. Seeds of EPHHL of areas with suspected resistance had been sampled in 97 places during 2003. In the greenhouse experiment samples of each population were sprayed with imazethapyr or fomesafen, at only one rate. To identify the resistant ones they were sprayed with different levels of the herbicides imazethapyr and fomesafen. Later they were sprayed with diverse herbicides of the same mechanisms of action to confirm the multiple/cross resistance. There is widespread distribution in the region of populations with resistance to ALS inhibitors. Some biotypes demonstrated resistance to herbicides from the two mechanisms of action. The resistance factor (FR), or the relation of resistance between R and susceptible biotypes, confirms the existence of two biotypes of EPHHL with cross resistance to several herbicides inhibitors of ALS and PROTOX.

Herbicides that inhibit the enzyme protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PROTOX) are usually effective to control dicotyledonous weeds and their agronomic efficacy is affected by environmental and physiological factors. The objective of this review is to summarize the knowledge of those factors available in the scientific literature in the last decade. Environmental factors that influence PROTOX inhibitors include temperature, irradiance and relative humidity. The most relevant physiological factors are the activity of enzymes that can detoxify herbicides and also of enzymes that mitigate the effects of oxidative stress in plants. The study also suggests some possible management strategies that could optimize the activity of PROTOX-inhibiting herbicides.

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi caracterizar o efeito alelopático do extrato aquoso de folhas de A. annua sobre a germinação de sementes e o desenvolvimento de plântulas de alface (Lactuca sativa L.) e leiteiro (Euphorbia heterophylla L.). O extrato aquoso bruto foi preparado a partir de 250 g folhas frescas extraídas em 1 L de água destilada. Este primeiro extrato foi filtrado e centrifugado, sendo utilizado o sobrenadante. Foram utilizadas as seguintes concentrações de 100% (extrato filtrado e centrifugado); 75%, 50% e 25% (diluições do extrato 100%); e 0% (água destilada). As sementes das espécies testadas foram distribuídas em placas de petri e acondicionadas em câmara de germinação. Foram analisadas as variáveis: germinabilidade (G), velocidade média de germinação (V), tempo médio de germinação (t), comprimento da radícula (CR) e massa seca das plântulas. A elevação da concentração do extrato aquoso de A. annua provocou redução na germinabilidade de alface e, a partir da concentração de 50%, a germinação foi completamente inibida. Para o leiteiro, a germinação foi totalmente inibida a partir da concentração de 75%. Observou-se também redução significativa na velocidade média de germinação de alface com a elevação da concentração do extrato, efeito que não foi observado para o leiteiro. O comprimento radicular do leiteiro foi significativamente reduzido nas concentrações de 25 e 50%, e totalmente inibido em 75 e 100%. Para alface, a concentração de 25% reduziu significativamente o comprimento radicular, e as concentrações de 50, 75 e 100% inibiram completamente a formação de raízes, mostrando ser esta espécie mais sensível que o leiteiro. Extratos aquosos de A. annua apresentaram ação alelopática inibitória sobre a germinação de sementes e o desenvolvimento de plântulas de alface e leiteiro.