Herbicidal Activity of <i>Thymbra capitata</i> (L.) Cav. Essential Oil
Mercedes Verdeguer,
Natalia Torres-Pagan,
Marta Muñoz,
Amira Jouini,
Susana García-Plasencia,
Pablo Chinchilla,
Mónica Berbegal,
Adele Salamone,
Santo Agnello,
Alessandra Carrubba,
Luz Cabeiras-Freijanes,
Lois Regueira-Marcos,
Adela M. Sánchez-Moreiras,
María Amparo Blázquez
Affiliations
Mercedes Verdeguer
Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo (IAM), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Natalia Torres-Pagan
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
Amira Jouini
Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo (IAM), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Susana García-Plasencia
Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo (IAM), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Pablo Chinchilla
Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo (IAM), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Mónica Berbegal
Instituto Agroforestal Mediterráneo (IAM), Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Adele Salamone
Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e L’analisi dell’economia Agraria, Centro di Ricerca Difesa e Certificazione, Sede di Palermo, Viale Regione Siciliana Sud Est, 8669 Palermo, Italy
Santo Agnello
Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia Agraria, Centro di Ricerca Difesa e Certificazione, Sede di Bagheria, S.S. 113-km 245.500, 90011 Bagheria (Palermo), Italy
Alessandra Carrubba
Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, Ed. 4, 90128 Palermo, Italy
Luz Cabeiras-Freijanes
Department of Plant Biology and Soil Science, Faculty of Biology, University of Vigo, Campus Lagoas-Marcosende s/n, 36310 Vigo, Spain
Lois Regueira-Marcos
Department of Plant Biology and Soil Science, Faculty of Biology, University of Vigo, Campus Lagoas-Marcosende s/n, 36310 Vigo, Spain
Adela M. Sánchez-Moreiras
Department of Plant Biology and Soil Science, Faculty of Biology, University of Vigo, Campus Lagoas-Marcosende s/n, 36310 Vigo, Spain
María Amparo Blázquez
Departament de Farmacologia, Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de València, Avda. Vicent Andrés Estellés s/n, 46100 Burjassot, València, Spain
The bioherbicidal potential of Thymbra capitata (L.) Cav. essential oil (EO) and its main compound carvacrol was investigated. In in vitro assays, the EO blocked the germination and seedling growth of Erigeron canadensis L., Sonchus oleraceus (L.) L., and Chenopodium album L. at 0.125 µL/mL, of Setaria verticillata (L.) P.Beauv., Avena fatua L., and Solanum nigrum L. at 0.5 µL/mL, of Amaranthus retroflexus L. at 1 µL/mL and of Portulaca oleracea L., and Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P.Beauv. at 2 µL/mL. Under greenhouse conditions, T. capitata EO was tested towards the emergent weeds from a soil seedbank in pre and post emergence, showing strong herbicidal potential in both assays at 4 µL/mL. In addition, T. capitata EO, applied by spraying, was tested against P. oleracea, A. fatua and E. crus-galli. The species showed different sensibility to the EO, being E. crus-galli the most resistant. Experiments were performed against A. fatua testing T. capitata EO and carvacrol applied by spraying or by irrigation. It was verified that the EO was more active at the same doses in monocotyledons applied by irrigation and in dicotyledons applied by spraying. Carvacrol effects on Arabidopsis root morphology were also studied.
