Evaluation of quinone herbicide activity

Abstract

Six commercial quinones (2,5 - dihydroxy-1,4-benzoquinone [1], camphorquinone [2], phenantrequinone [3], anthrarufin [4], sodium sulfonate anthraquinone [5] and lapachol [6]) were tested as for their phytotoxic potential. The compounds were tested on Sorghum bicolor, Cucumis sativus, and Desmodium tortuosum cultivated in washed sand in Petri dishes and on Lactuca sativa, Cucumis sativus, Desmodium tortuosum, Hyptis suaveolens and Euphorbia heterophylla, cultivated in pots, containing washed sand, for 20 days. In the tests in Petri dishes, quinone 2 caused a little inhibition (25.62%) to the development of S. bicolor. Quinones 1, 2, 3 and 5 caused a very little effect on C. sativus. None of the tested quinones caused a significant inhibition effect to D. tortuosum. In the bioassays in pots, quinones 2, 3, 4 and 6 caused a significant inhibition (9.52 to 71.43%) to the root system of H. suaveolens