ABSTRACT
Allelopathy refers to any process involving secondary metabolites produced by plants, microorganisms, viruses and fungi that influence the growth and development of agricultural and biological systems. It has been established that allelopathy offers great potential (a) to increase agricultural production (food grains, vegetables, fruits, forestry), (b) to decrease harmful effects of modem agricultural practices [multiple cropping, leaching losses from N fertilizers, indiscriminate use of pesticides (weedicides, fungicides, insecticides, nematicides), tolerant/ resistant biotypes in pests] on soil health/productivity and on environment and (c) to maintain soil productivity and a pollution-free environment for our future generations. It is likely that in the near future allelopathy will be used in crop production, crop protection, agroforestry and agrohorticultural practices in developed and developing countries. Allelopathy may become one of the strategic sciences to reduce environmental pollution and to increase agricultural production in sustainable agriculture in the 21st Century. Allelopathy provides a basis for sustainable agriculture, hence, currently allelopathic research is being carried out in most countries worldwide and is now receiving more attention from agricultural and bioscientists.
