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Chinese researchers find “secret weapon” of weed

weed

HANGZHOU,  Oct. 24 (Xinhua) — Scientists from eastern China’s Zhejiang Province  have used genomic analysis to uncover how weeds suppresses the growth of  other plants.

The  research, headed by professor Fan Longjiang with the College of  Agriculture and Biotechnology of Zhejiang University, was published in  the journal Nature Communications last week.

Allelopathy  through the release of chemical compounds in the rhizosphere is one of  the most important features of weeds, Fan wrote in the report.

From  a species of weed in the paddy field, they have in the genome  identified three copies of gene clusters involved in production of an  allelochemical used against rice and one copy of a phytoalexin gene  cluster used against blast disease.

Beyond  purely academic interests, uncovering how weeds evolve is crucial for  their management and the protection of the global food supply, said the  professor.

He noted that allelopathy could be an alternative weed management strategy with a lower environmental cost.

Credit: zju.edu.cn

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