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Updated: Jun 11, 2025

Measuring Rates of Herbicide Metabolism in Dicot Weeds with an Excised Leaf Assay
Published on: September 7, 2015
Colchicine, Caffeine, Gramine, and Their Derivatives as Potential Herbicides, Fungicides, and Insecticides
Joanna Kurek1, Arleta Sierakowska1, Natalia Berdzik1
1Department of Bioactive Products, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61-614 Poznań, Poland.
Abstract:
A preliminary in silico screening of 94 compounds, including colchicine, caffeine, gramine, and their derivatives, was conducted to identify potential herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides. Among the compounds tested, only gramine and its 13 derivatives exhibited potential activity. These compounds were further tested against eight species of insects, three species of weeds, and four species of fungi. All of the tested alkaloids were found to be ineffective as herbicides and insecticides, but they did exhibit some fungicidal activity. Four gramine derivatives showed some activity against Phytophthora infestans, Botrytis cinerea, Zymoseptoria tritici, and Fusarium culmorum.
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