Allelopathic potential of aquatic plants associated with wild rice: II. Isolation and identification of allelochemicals

Aqueous extracts of rhizomes of Scirpus acutus and shoots of Eleocharis sma llii were analyzed for the presence of phytotoxic compounds using ethyl ace tate extraction. The organic fractions of the extract of Scirpus rhizomes c ontained lactic, succinic, fumaric, 2-hydroxysuccinic, 2-phenyllactic , m-h ydroxybenzoic, p-hydroxybenzoic, protocatechuic, dehydroabietic, and feruli c acids; p-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, p-hydroxyphenyl ethanol and catechin. The extract of Eleocharis shoots contained 4-methoxy phenol, benzofuran, benze ne acetic acid, 1-hydroxy-5-methyl acetophenone, and 1,3,4-dimethoxyphenol ethanone identified by CC-Mass spectroscopy. The potential allelopathic eff ect of these compounds on wild rice under field conditions was discussed.