Sf. Vaughn et Ma. Berhow, 1-CYANO-2-HYDROXY-3-BUTENE, A PHYTOTOXIN FROM CRAMBE (CRAMBE ABYSSINICA) SEEDMEAL, Journal of chemical ecology, 24(6), 1998, pp. 1117-1126
Crambe (Crambe abyssinica) seedmeal was found to suppress seedling eme
rgence and biomass accumulation when added to a sandy loam soil contai
ning wheat (Triticum aestivum Cardinal) and hemp sesbania (Sesbania ex
altara) seeds. Hexane, CH2Cl2, MeOH, and water extracts of the seedmea
l were prepared and bioassayed against wheat and velvetleaf (Abutilon
theophrasti) radicle elongation. The CH2Cl2 extract was the most inhib
itory, while the other extracts inhibited the bioassay species only sl
ightly (MeOH) or not at all (hexane, water). Fractionation of the CH2C
l2 extract identified the major phytotoxin as 1-cyano-2-hydroxy-3-bute
ne (CHB), comprising 96.1% of the active CH2Cl2, fraction. Radicle elo
ngation of wheat and velvetleaf were inhibited by CHB with I-50 values
of 2.1 x 10(-4) M for wheat and 2.7 x 10(-3) M for velvetleaf.