# Herbicidal Activity and Metabolic Profiling of Piper tuberculatum Jacq. Leachates

## TL;DR

This study explores how leachates from Piper tuberculatum affect weed growth and identifies potential natural herbicides.

## Contribution

The study identifies specific allelochemical classes in Piper tuberculatum leachates that may contribute to herbicidal activity.

## Key findings

- Piper tuberculatum leachates significantly inhibited weed germination and seedling growth.
- Metabolomic analysis identified alkaloids, fatty acids, and phenolic compounds as potential allelochemicals.
- The findings suggest Piper tuberculatum could serve as a sustainable alternative to synthetic herbicides.

## Abstract

Understanding how allelochemicals with herbicidal activity
are
released in plant interactions is key to developing sustainable weed
control strategies. This study aimed to investigate the herbicidal
activity and metabolic profile of Piper tuberculatum Jacq. leachates. In vitro bioassays were performed
with P. tuberculatum leaf leachates
to evaluate their effects on the germination and early growth of Bidens bipinnata L. and Digitaria insularis (L.) Fedde. (DIGIN.). The leachate extracts were subsequently characterized
via liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry–based
metabolomics and molecular networking. The results showed that weed
germination and seedling development were significantly affected by
the P. tuberculatum leachates. Metabolomic
analysis revealed that allelochemicals belonging to the classes of
alkaloids, fatty acids, phenolic compounds, steroids, and terpenoids
are potentially involved in herbicidal activity. These findings suggest
that P. tuberculatum could be explored
as a natural alternative for sustainable weed management, potentially
reducing the dependence on synthetic herbicides.