Allelopathy in Agriculture

Allelopathy is a phenomenon with different interactions that can be found in plants, as a form of protection against the attack of pathogens, insect pests and herbivory. The compounds of secondary metabolism present different concentrations in different parts of plant tissues, originating from the shikimate or acetate route, in which even if the plants are dead, their tissues have the ability to release allelochemical substances, both by volatilization, as through leaching of substances from their tissues, which are soluble in rainwater or dew, being the same conducted to the soil, causing interference in microorganisms and plants nearby. The action of allelochemicals may occur in direct and indirect ways, and the direct action consists of intervention in the development and plant metabolism, including modifications at cellular, phytormonal, photosynthetic and respiratory levels, impairing the synthesis of DNA and RNA, protein synthesis or inhibits and stimulates specific enzyme activities.