ARS | Publication request: Phytotoxic Activity of Quinone and Resorcinolic Lipid Derivatives

Submitted to: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: March 2, 2010
Publication Date: March 16, 2010
Repository URL: http://pubs.acs.org/JAFC
Citation: Mizuno, C.S., Rimando, A.M., Duke, S.O. 2010. Phytotoxic Activity of Quinone and Resorcinolic Lipid Derivatives. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 58:4353-4355.

Interpretive Summary: Every year tons of food are lost due to weed damage. In spite of the efforts of private companies and academia there is still a need for better and safer herbicides. Sorgoleone is a natural compound from Sorghum species that inhibits the growth of other plants. Thus, compounds similar to sorgoleone were made and tested for herbicide activity. Among the compounds tested one was identified as having growth inhibitory activity similar to that of sorgoleone. This compound has potential applicability as herbicide and is much easier to make than sorgoleone.

Technical Abstract: Based on the phytotoxic activity of sorgoleone and resorcinolic lipids identified from the roots extracts of sorghum, 8 resorcinolic lipids derivatives and 10 quinones with varying side chains size were synthesized. The compounds were submitted to phtotoxicity assay against monocot and dicot species. Among the compounds, the quinones displayed better activity. Compound 32 with a 5 carbon side chain showed phytotoxic activity similar to natural compound sorgoleone.