• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.250-259
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• 2011

This study was conducted to assess the possibility of 5,8-dihydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (DHNQ) as a environmental friendly herbicide candidate. Foliar application of DHNQ showed excellent herbicidal effect to the 3 grasses and 5 broad-leaved weeds. Among them, Digitaria sanguinalis and Solanum nigrum were completely controlled by $250{\mu}g\;mL^{-1}$ of DHNQ with main symptoms of desiccation or burndown within 24 hours. Aeschynomene indica was also sensitive to DHNQ treatment. All of the eight weed species were controlled by 90~100% at a concentration of $1000{\mu}g\;mL^{-1}$. However, soil application of DHNQ to Digitaria sanguinalis did not show any herbicidal symptoms. DHNQ strongly inhibited KAPAS activities in vitro and the $IC_{50}$ was $4.4{\mu}M$. Cellular leakage from cucumber leaf squares treated with DHNQ increased depending on the concentrations increased from 6.25 to $100{\mu}M$ after 24 hours incubation with or without light. However, chlorophyll loss in cucumber leaf squares was negligible. Biotin supplements significantly rescued the inhibition of germination rate of Arabidopsis thaliana seeds previously inhibited by the DHNQ. According to above results, DHNQ is a good natural herbicide candidate having a new target KAPAS, which is involved in biotin biosynthesis pathway, with environmental friendly.