Understanding the role of allelopathy in weed interference and declining plant diversity

Several weed species have been reported to have allelopathic activities. However, most of these studies indicate the probable involvement of allelochemicals but are not conducted in field settings. In addition to their adverse effects on growth and yield of many crop species, many troublesome weeds such as mugwort and lantana influence biodiversity. More studies on the ecological, physiological, and molecular aspects of weed allelopathy should be conducted in order to better understand community structure and declining biodiversity.