Parasitic weeds that wreck crops respond to many natural chemicals besides the well-known strigolactones. Some of these, including compounds from plants like mustards, trigger germination at very low doses, which could lead to greener weed control.
1
Terpenes and terpenoids made up 51.0% of germination stimulants, with sesquiterpene lactones the most common structure; aromatic (41.7%) and N-containing (36.5%) compounds led among inhibitors.
2
Bioactive compounds clustered in two lipophilicity ranges: moderately lipophilic (47%, clog P 1.0-3.0) and hydrophilic (24%, clog P below 0), so lipophilicity alone can't separate stimulants from inhibitors.
3
Specificity differs by parasite: sesquiterpene lactones for O. cumana, P. aegyptiaca and S. asiatica; karrikin1 and terpenoids for O. minor and S. hermonthica; isothiocyanates for P. ramosa, some at concentrations comparable to natural strigolactones.
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