On the formulation of disulfide herbicides based on aminophenoxazinones: polymeric nanoparticle formulation and cyclodextrin complexation to combat crop yield losses

Phytotoxicity Study of (Amino)imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine Derivatives Toward the Control of Bidens pilosa, Urochloa decumbens, and Panicum maximum Weeds

In this work, several imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines were synthesized through the Groebke-Blackburn-Bienaymé three-component reaction (GBB-3CR), and their phytotoxicity was evaluated in vitro by the influence on the growth of wheat coleoptiles and three important agricultural seeds (Allium cepa, Lactuca sativa, and Solanum lycopersicum) at test concentrations of 1000, 300, 100, 30, and 10 μM. A structure-activity relationship was established, showing the importance of halogen groups at the ortho position of the attached aromatic ring and the presence of a cyclohexylamine group for greater activity. Post-modification of some GBB-3CR adducts was carried out, leading to imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine-tetrazole hybrids, which were also evaluated in these bioassays. The phytotoxicity on seed germination and growth bioassays demonstrated that A. cepa was the most susceptible seed, and the most affected parameters were the root and shoot lengths. The most active compound was also evaluated against Bidens pilosa, Urochloa decumbens, and Panicum maximum weeds under hydroponic conditions to assess its phytotoxic potential at a more advanced level of bioassays. Promising results were also achieved, in which the most affected growth factor by inhibition was the root growth, and a stimulus to shoot growth was noted, making it a promising hit in the search for new herbicides.

Allelopathic studies with furanocoumarins isolated from Ducrosia anethifolia. In vitro and in silico investigations to protect legumes, rice and grain crops

Six different furanocoumarins were isolated from the aerial parts of Ducrosia anethifolia and tested in vitro for plant cell elongation in etiolated wheat coleoptile. They were also tested for their ability to control three different weeds: ribwort plantain, annual ryegrass, and common purslane. These compounds exhibited strong inhibition of plant cell elongation. In the case of (+)-heraclenin, the IC50 was lower than 20 μM, indicating a better inhibition than the positive control Logran®. Computational experiments for docking and molecular dynamics revealed for the investigated furanocoumarins bearing an epoxide moiety an improved fitting and stronger interaction with the auxin-like TIR1 ubiquitin ligase. Furthermore, the formed inhibition complex remained also stable during dynamic evaluation. Bidental interaction at the active site, along with an extended hydrogen-bond lifetime, explained the enhanced activity of the epoxides. The in vitro weed bioassay results showed that Plantago lanceolata was the most affected weed for germination, root, and shoot development. In addition, (+)-heraclenin displayed better inhibition values than positive control even at 300 μM concentration.

Production of (10S,11S)-(—)-epi-Pyriculol and Its HPLC Quantification in Liquid Cultures of Pyricularia grisea, a Potential Mycoherbicide for the Control of Buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris)

(10S,11S)-(—)-epi-pyriculol is a phytotoxic metabolite produced by Pyricularia grisea, a fungus identified as a foliar pathogen on the invasive weed species buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris) in North America. The effective control of buffelgrass has not yet been achieved, and there is a need to develop effective and green solutions. Herbicides based on natural products and the use of phytopathogenic organisms could provide the most suitable tools for the control of weeds such as buffelgrass. Thus, one of the most relevant points to study about potential suitable phytotoxins such as (10S,11S)-(—)-epi-pyriculol is its production on a large scale, either by isolation from fungal fermentations or by synthesis. For these purposes, rapid and sensitive methods for the quantification of (10S,11S)-(—)-epi-pyriculol in complex mixtures are required. In this study, a high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for its quantification was developed and applied to organic extracts from twelve P. grisea isolates obtained from diseased buffelgrass leaves and grown in potato dextrose broth (PDB) liquid cultures. The analysis proved that the production of (10S,11S)-(—)-epi-pyriculol is fungal-isolate dependent and strongly correlated with phytotoxic activity, shown by the P. grisea organic extracts in a buffelgrass radicle elongation test. The HPLC method reported herein allowed us to select the best strain for the production of (10S,11S)-(—)-epi-pyriculol and could be useful for selecting the best cultural conditions for its mass production, providing a tool for the use of this promising metabolite as a new bioherbicide for the control of buffelgrass.