Essential Oils of Three Aromatic Plant Species as Natural Herbicides for Environmentally Friendly Agriculture

Natural herbicides based on essential oils (EOs) extracted from aromatic plants are gaining relevance in contemporary agriculture. Due to their allelopathic properties, they have an inhibitory effect the germination and growth of different species, having, general, advantage high specificity. For this reason, analysis effects these natural compounds noxious weeds is continuously increasing. In present study, three commercial EOs Mentha piperita L., Thymbra capitata (L.) Cav. Santolina chamaecyparissus L. were tested two invasive with increasing presence southern Europe, Erigeron bonariensis Araujia sericifera Brot. Five concentrations (0.125, 0.25, 0.50, 1 2 µL mL–1) a randomized manner for each oil five replicates 20 seeds E. 10 A. sericifera. Two higher 4 8 ?L mL–1 applied irrigation species at vegetative stage. The number replicas treatment was 7. results obtained confirmed significant seed early seedling development, especially bonariensis; EOs, peppermint had strongest effect, completely preventing both species. Multivariate analysis, performed several morphological traits scored after one month young plants, showed pattern: highest inhibition recorded greatest reduction dose EO. revealed efficacy specificity toxicity according stage development.