Francisco A. Macías¹, Francisco J. Rodríguez-Mejías¹, Daniela Rosa^1,2, Aurelio Scavo³, Carlos Rial1, Fatima Duarte², José M. G. Molinillo¹, Rosa M. Varela¹.
famacias@uca.es
1- Allelopathy Group, Department of Organic Chemistry, Facultad de Ciencias, Institute of Biomolecules (INBIO), University of Cadiz, C/ Avenida Repuública Saharaui, s/n, 11510 Puerto Real, Spain.
2- Alentejo Biotechnology Center for Agriculture and Agro-Food (CEBAL)/Polytechnic Institute of Beja (IPBeja), 7801-908 Beja, Portugal.
3- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Polo Universitario dell’Annunziata, Messina, Italy.

Allelopathy has emerged as a promising approach to develop new agrochemicals based on natural products, offering sustainable alternatives to classical herbicides in the face of rising weed resistance and increasing environmental concerns. However, for more than four decades, research in this area has largely resulted in “potential” compounds or products. While many of these have advanced to trials in controlled cultivation zones or even across several hectares, very few have reached the stage of commercial application.
This presentation will showcase several real alternatives that, having successfully passed key stages such as chemical optimization, greenhouse testing, and off-target evaluation, are now genuinely close to being marketed as commercial bioherbicides.
One example focuses on Cynara cardunculus fractions enriched in major sesquiterpene lactones such as cynaropicrin and grosheimin. These fractions were obtained through ultrafiltration-based enrichment, then formulated using both micro- and nanoencapsulation strategies. The resulting product can be produced at scales of hundreds of grams and has shown strong performance in field trials.1
A second example involves the formulation of aminophenoxazinones, microbial degradation products of benzoxazinoids, whose phytotoxic activity has been debated for decades due to their striking bioactivity. Through nanoformulation and derivatization, we have succeeded in applying these compounds directly to crop fields. Even at application rates of just a few hundred grams, we observed up to a 50% increase in wheat yield, effective control of a broad spectrum of weeds, and no detectable bioaccumulation in soil.2
These natural products are no longer just promises. They are fully equipped warriors ready for battle.
Keywords: Allelopathy, biocommunicators, natural products, bioherbicides

References
D. Rosa et al. Sesquiterpene lactones enriched fractions obtained from Cynara cardunculus extract by diafiltration. Industrial Crops and Products. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2024.118926
A. Scavo et al. Field efficacy of a bioherbicide mimic (DiS-NH2) in a nanoparticle formulation for weed control in durum wheat. Pest Management Science. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.8749

 
Return to previous page