applied sciences Article Isolation and Identification of Two Potent Phytotoxic Substances from Afzelia xylocarpa for Controlling Weeds Ramida Krumsri 1,2,*, Kaori Ozaki 3, Toshiaki Teruya 4 and Hisashi Kato-Noguchi 1,2 1 Department of Applied Biological Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Kagawa University, Miki, Kagawa 761-0795, Japan;
[email protected] 2 The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Ehime University, 3-5-7 Tarumi, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8566, Japan 3 Graduate School of Engineering and Science, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan;
[email protected] 4 Faculty of Education, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan;
[email protected] * Correspondence:
[email protected] Abstract: Phytotoxic substances released from plants are considered eco-friendly alternatives for controlling weeds in agricultural production. In this study, the leaves of Afzelia xylocarpa (Kurz) Craib. were investigated for biological activity, and their active substances were determined. Extracts of A. xylocarpa leaf exhibited concentration-dependent phytotoxic activity against the seedling length of Lepidium sativum L., Medicago sativa L., Phleum pratense L., and Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) P. Beauv. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the A. xylocarpa leaf extracts led to isolating and identifying two compounds: vanillic acid and trans-ferulic acid. Both compounds were applied to four model plants using different concentrations. The results showed both compounds significantly inhibited the model plants’ seedling length in a species-dependent manner (p < 0.05). The phytotoxic effects of trans Citation: Krumsri, R.; Ozaki, K.; -ferulic acid (IC50 = 0.42 to 2.43 mM) on the model plants were much greater than that of vanillic Teruya, T.; Kato-Noguchi, H.