R. Leviminzi et al., ORGANIC-ACIDS AS SEED-GERMINATION INHIBITORS, Journal of environmental science and health. Part A: Environmental science and engineering, 29(10), 1994, pp. 2203-2217
Phytotoxicity of aromatic and aliphatic acids was tested by a wheat se
ed bioassay. Wheat seed germination was found to be influenced by the
number of hydroxy and methoxy groups, the molecular position of single
and double hydroxy groups, the length of the aliphatic chain, as well
as by the pK(a) of the acid solutions. Orto and meta coumaric, feruli
c and orto hydroxybenzoic among phenolic acids, and butyric acid among
aliphatic acids showed the most inhibitory activity; toxicity was fou
nd to increase exponentially with the increasing acid concentrations.
Levels of 0.25 and 1.8mM resulted in a 10 and 50% toxicity, respective
ly.