ABSTRACT
Allelopathy could be explored as a sustainable strategy in the management of weeds amidst the growing concern of herbicide-resistant/tolerant weeds. However, many articles and research do not provide proof of the practical applications of allelopathy in weed anagement. For the sustainable utilization of allelopathy in the management of weeds, the allelopathic activities of many plants were evaluated by various specific bioassays and field experiments. In conclusion, two leguminous plants, hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) and velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens) were the most promising allelopathic ground cover plants. L-DOPA, an unusual amino acid from velvet bean and cyanamide from hairy vetch were identified as allelochemicals that played important roles in the reported weed suppression by these species. Direct application of these plants to farmlands showed that these plants could suppress weed without using herbicides and also act as nitrogen fertilizer. By utilizing these plants, sustainable agriculture without or with minimal artificial herbicides might be possible in rice, vegetable, and fruit productions.
