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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Crop Bioprotection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #85709
Title: PHYTOTOXINS RELEASED BY GARLIC MUSTARD (ALLIARIA PETIOLATA) TISSUES

Author
item Vaughn, Steven

Submitted to: Weed Science Society of America Meeting Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/12/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Garlic mustard [Alliaria petiolata (Bieb) Cavara & Grande] is an herbaceous biennial member of the mustard family (Brassicaceae) which has invaded, and now dominates, much of the hardwood forest understory in the Eastern United States and Canada. Populations of native plants have been found to decline in areas with heavy garlic mustard infestation. Decaying and/or crushed garlic mustard leaves produced high levels of the glucosinolate degradation product allyl isothiocyanate (AITC), while roots produced primarily benzyl isothiocyanate (BzITC). BzITC could also be detected by solid-phase microextraction from soil in heavily infested areas. As both AITC and BzITC are potent inhibitors of seed germination and plant growth, the dominance of garlic mustard in forest ecosystems may be attributable in part to release of these phytotoxins.