Allelopathy and Allelopathic Substances in the Leaves of Metasequoia glyptostroboides from Pruned Branches for Weed Management

Metasequoia glyptostroboides Hu et W.C. Cheng, known as a living fossil species, is planted in parks, gardens, and streets many temperate regions worldwide. Adequate branch pruning necessary to grow the plants these locations, generates large amount of waste. In this study, allelopathic activity pruned-branch waste was investigated search for beneficial applications The leaves M. obtained from pruned branches were extracted, extracts showed growth-inhibitory on four weed namely, Vulpia myuros, Lolium multiflorum, Echinochloa crus-galli, Phleum pretense. inhibition extract-concentration dependent. roots P. pretense most sensitive, coleoptiles E. crus-galli least sensitive among all species. Two substances isolated identified umbelliferone (+)-rhododendrol. Both compounds inhibitory growth V. although (+)-rhododendrol much greater than that umbelliferone. may also contain some other substances. These substances, including (+)-rhododendrol, work leaf extracts. Therefore, are potentially useful control certain agricultural settings such foliar spray soil additive, decrease synthetic herbicide application crop production pursuant developing ecofriendly agriculture.