Allelochemicals released by rice roots and residues in soil

A few rice (Oryza sativa L.) varieties or rice straw produce and release allelochemicals into soil in which interfere with the growth of neighboring or successive plants. Allelopathic rice PI312777 and Huagan-1 at their early growth stages released momilactone B, 3-isopropyl-5-acetoxycyclohexene-2-one-1, and 5,7,4'-trihydroxy-3',5'-dimethoxyflavone into soil at phytotoxic levels, but non-allelopathic rice Huajingxian did not. Both allelopathic and non-allelopathic rice residues released momilactone B and lignin-related phenolic acids (p-hydroxybenzoic, p-coumaric, ferulic, syringic and vanillic acids) into the soil during residue decomposition to inhibit successive plants. The results indicated that allelochemicals involved in rice allelopathy from living and dead plants are substantially different. Interestingly, the concentrations of the allelochemicals released from the allelopathic rice seedlings in soil increased dramatically when they were surrounded with Echinochloa crus-galli. The concentrations of the allelochemicals were over 3-fold higher in the presence of E. crus-galli than in the absence of E. crus-galli. However, the same case did not occur in non-allelopathic Huajingxian seedlings surrounded with E. crus-galli. In addition to allelochemical exudation being promoted by the presence of E. crus-galli, allelopathic rice seedlings also increased allelochemical exudation in response to exudates of germinated E. crus-galli seeds or lepidimoide, an uronic acid derivative exuded from E. crus-galli seeds. These results imply that allelopathic rice seedlings can sense certain allelochemicals released by E. crus-galli into the soil, and respond by increased production of allelochemicals inhibitory to E. crus-galli. This study suggests that rice residues of both allelopathic and non-allelopathic varieties release similar concentrations and types of allelochemicals to inhibit successive plants. In contrast, living rice plants of certain allelopathic varieties appear to be able to detect the presence of interspecific neighbors and respond by increased allelochemicals.