Essential Oil Potential of Echinophora cinerea Boiss: An Alternative to Systemic Herbicides in Agroecosystems

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahrekord University, Shahrekord, Iran

2 Department of Plant, Soil, and Agricultural Systems, School of Agricultural Sciences, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, USA

10.22126/atic.2025.11753.1195

Abstract

Weed management in agricultural ecosystems often relies on synthetic herbicides, which, despite their effectiveness, incur high costs and contribute to environmental pollution. The development and industrial production of plant-based herbicides could address these issues. In this context, the effects of varying concentrations of essential oil from Fedaleh (Echinophora cinerea Boiss) and glyphosate herbicides on Chenopodium album (L.) were examined through a factorial experiment conducted within a completely randomized design. Analysis of variance revealed that antioxidant enzyme activity, membrane lipid peroxidation, hydrogen peroxide and proline content, photosynthetic pigment concentrations, and seedling growth were influenced by the type and concentration of the inhibitor. A significant interaction between the type of inhibitor and its concentration was observed regarding the activities of catalase and superoxide dismutase enzymes, membrane lipid peroxidation, hydrogen peroxide and proline content. The accumulation of hydrogen peroxide and alterations in the levels of chlorophyll-b, carotenoids, as well as the enzymes catalase, superoxide dismutase, and ascorbate peroxidase, and to a certain extent, proline content in plants treated with the essential oil from the Fedaleh flower were comparable to those observed with glyphosate. These effects resulted in a similar reduction in the weight of the C. album seedlings treated with the essential oil from the Fedaleh flower, analogous to the glyphosate treatment. Additionally, the levels of chlorophyll-a and seedling length demonstrated an inverse linear relationship with the concentration of the essential oil from the Fedaleh flower. Taken together, the essential oil from the Fedaleh flower shows significant potential as an inducer of oxidative stress and disruptor of the plant defense system, effectively suppressing the growth of the C. album. Hence, its comparable efficacy to glyphosate suggests promising prospects for its industrial production as a plant-based herbicide.

Graphical Abstract

Essential Oil Potential of Echinophora cinerea Boiss: An Alternative to Systemic Herbicides in Agroecosystems

Highlights

  • Weed management in high-yield crops frequently depends on synthetic herbicides.
  • The development and industrial production of plant-based herbicides may serve as a viable alternative to synthetic herbicides.
  • The herbicidal efficacy of the Fedaleh essential oils at a concentration of 5 μL/L was comparable to that of glyphosate.
  • The essential oil from the flower of the Fadaleh was identified as an oxidative stress inducer and a disruptor of the weed defense system.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Agrotechniques in Industrial Crops

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