Phytotoxic effect, uptake, and transformation of biochanin A in selected weed species

Certain isoflavones are plant growth inhibitors, and biochanin A is a major isoflavone in clover species used for weed management. The effect of biochanin A on the monocot weed species Echinochloa crus-galli L. and Lolium perenne L. and dicot species Silene noctiflora L., Geranium molle L., and Amaranthus caudatus L. was evaluated in agar medium bioassays. S. noctiflora and G. molle root growth was progressively inhibited with increasing concentrations of biochanin A, whereas the monocot species were unaffected. With regard to the dicot species, S. noctiflora (EC(50) = 35.80 μM and EC(25) = 5.20 μM) was more susceptible than G. molle (EC(50), EC(25) > 400 μM). S. noctiflora, G. molle, and E. crus-galli root and shoot samples, representing a susceptible, a less susceptible, and a nonsusceptible species, respectively, were analyzed by LC-MS to quantify biochanin A and its transformation products. Biochanin A and its known transformation products genistein, dihydrobiochanin A, pratensein, and p-coumaric acid were quantified. Sissotrin was identified and quantified while assigning unknown peaks. The treated root samples contained more biochanin A, genistein, pratensein, and dihydrobiochanin A than shoot samples.