Herbicidal Potential of the Natural Compounds Carvacrol, Thymol, Eugenol, <i>p</i>-Cymene, Citral and Pelargonic Acid in Field Conditions: Indications for Better Performance
Natalia Torres-Pagán,
Marta Muñoz,
Sara Barbero,
Roberta Mamone,
Rosa Peiró,
Alessandra Carrubba,
Adela M. Sánchez-Moreiras,
Diego Gómez de Barreda,
Mercedes Verdeguer
Affiliations
Natalia Torres-Pagán
Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo (IAM), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Marta Muñoz
Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo (IAM), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Sara Barbero
Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo (IAM), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Roberta Mamone
Department of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Sciences, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Building 4, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Rosa Peiró
Centro de Conservación y Mejora de la Agrodiversidad Valenciana (COMAV), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Alessandra Carrubba
Department of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Sciences, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Building 4, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Adela M. Sánchez-Moreiras
Departamento de Bioloxía Vexetal e Ciencia do Solo, Facultade de Bioloxía, Universidade de Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
Diego Gómez de Barreda
Departamento de Producción Vegetal, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Mercedes Verdeguer
Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo (IAM), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
In recent years, interest in natural products with herbicidal activity as new tools for integrated weed management has increased. The European Union is demanding a reduction in the number of herbicides used, forbidding use of the most toxic ones, despite the problem of weed resistance increasing. Pelargonic acid (PA) is the only natural herbicide available in Spain. In this work, two field assays were performed with the natural compounds carvacrol (CAR), citral (CIT), eugenol (EUG), thymol (THY), p-cymene (P-CYM), (PA), and the combination of PA with CIT—all except P-CYM formulated by Seipasa—to test their herbicidal efficacy in real conditions. They were compared with commercial PA, glyphosate (GLY) and oxyfluorfen (OXY). In both experiments, GLY achieved the best weed control. Considering the natural herbicides, PA formulated by Seipasa and PA plus CIT were the most effective. From both experiments, some conclusions can be extracted for better herbicidal performance of natural products: (1) use products on sensitive weed species, (2) treat weeds at earlier phenological stages, (3) find the active doses in field conditions, (4) cover weeds well when treating, (5) ensure adequate formulation of products, and (6) develop a strategy for correct application.
