Title: The essential oils in agriculture as an alternative strategy to herbicides: a case study

Authors: Miriam Zanellato, Eva Masciarelli, Laura Casorri, Priscilla Boccia, Elena Sturchio, Mario Pezzella, Andrea Cavalieri, Fabio Caporali

Addresses: Department of Production Plants and Anthropic Settlements (DIPIA), National Institute of Health and Safety at Work (ISPESL), Via Urbana 167, 00184 Rome, Italy. ' Department of Production Plants and Anthropic Settlements (DIPIA), National Institute of Health and Safety at Work (ISPESL), Via Urbana 167, 00184 Rome, Italy. ' Department of Production Plants and Anthropic Settlements (DIPIA), National Institute of Health and Safety at Work (ISPESL), Via Urbana 167, 00184 Rome, Italy. ' Department of Production Plants and Anthropic Settlements (DIPIA), National Institute of Health and Safety at Work (ISPESL), Via Urbana 167, 00184 Rome, Italy. ' Department of Production Plants and Anthropic Settlements (DIPIA), National Institute of Health and Safety at Work (ISPESL), Via Urbana 167, 00184 Rome, Italy. ' Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Viale del Policlinico No.155, 00161 Rome, Italy. ' Department Crop Production, Tuscia University, Via San Camillo de Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy. ' Department Crop Production, Tuscia University, Via San Camillo de Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy

Abstract: In this study we investigated the allelopathic effect of some essential oils extracted from aromatic plants to inhibit weed seed germination. The study was performed to evaluate the potential genotoxic effect of lavender on Vicia faba root meristems by genotoxicity tests (comet assay and micronuclei test) and to evaluate microbial diversity fluctuation by Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) molecular analysis on ecological, biological and conventional soil. The results showed a phytotoxicity effect of the essential oil for all the concentration tested, while there is not a dose-dependent relation between oil concentrations and the genotoxic effect. A fluctuation of microbial communities in relation to the release of essential oils by Lavandula officinalis was also observed. Then we suggest that the essential oils could be useful as potential bioherbicides as an alternative strategy to the chemical remedy, but further studies are necessary to evaluate their appropriate use in the field.

Keywords: lavender; bioherbicides; biological agriculture; phytotoxicity; genotoxicity; comet assay; micronuclei test; RFLP; microbial diversity; herbicides; herbicide alternatives; allelopathic effect; essential oils; aromatic plants; weed seed germination.

DOI: 10.1504/IJENVH.2009.024878

International Journal of Environment and Health, 2009 Vol.3 No.2, pp.198 - 213

Published online: 02 May 2009 *

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