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Title: Potentials and Prospects of Sorghum Allelopathy in Agroecosystems

Author
item ALSAADAWI, IBRAHIM - BAGHDAD UNIVERSITY-IRAQ
item Dayan, Franck

Submitted to: Allelopathy Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/23/2009
Publication Date: 9/1/2009
Citation: Alsaadawi, I., Dayan, F.E. 2009. Potentials and Prospects of Sorghum Allelopathy in Agroecosystems. Allelopathy Journal. 24(2):255-270.

Interpretive Summary: The promising allelopathic potential of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor L. (Moench)] opens a fruitful area of research to exploit this phenomenon in weed control and regulation of nutrient cycle. The data suggests that sorghum allelopathy can be exploited in different cropping practices such as cover crop, smother crop, companion crop, mixing crop and smother crop to control weeds and inhibition of nitrification. Also, application of water extracts of sorghum at field level appeared to be effective method to reduce weeds and enhance productivity of the test crops. The herbicidal and allelopathic properties of sorgoleone, a compound isolated from root exudates of sorghum, and other allelochemicals in sorghum deserve further work to identify the enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of these compounds and the genes encoding them. The other necessary step is to use of genetic engineering to manipulate the identified genes in sorghum or in other crops to enhance their ability to suppress weeds. This review addresses the research activity on the role of allelopathic potential in different cropping systems and the approaches developed in weed managements.

Technical Abstract: The promising allelopathic potential of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor L. (Moench)] opens a fruitful area of research to exploit this phenomenon in weed control and regulation of nutrient cycle. The data suggests that sorghum allelopathy can be exploited in different cropping practices such as cover crop, smother crop, companion crop, mixing crop and smother crop to control weeds and inhibition of nitrification. Also, application of water extracts of sorghum at field level appeared to be effective method to reduce weeds and enhance productivity of the test crops. The herbicidal and allelopathic properties of sorgoleone, a compound isolated from root exudates of sorghum, and other allelochemicals in sorghum deserve further work to identify the enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of these compounds and the genes encoding them. The other necessary step is to use of genetic engineering to manipulate the identified genes in sorghum or in other crops to enhance their ability to suppress weeds. This review addresses the research activity on the role of allelopathic potential in different cropping systems and the approaches developed in weed managements.