Joint action of phenolic acid mixtures and its significance in allelopathy research

Although the ecological significance of mixtures of phytotoxins is recognized in research on chemical plant interference (allelopathy), few studies convincingly demonstrate the joint action of phytotoxin mixtures, key to understanding the ecological impact of these materials, using established models from other biological disciplines, e.g. toxicology and pharmacology. Addressing this need, the present study investigates the joint action of the phenolic acids, p-hydroxybenzoic, p-coumaric and ferulic acids on root growth inhibition of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L). The Additive Dose Model (ADM) isobole and estimated concentration of phenolic acid mixture were calculated on ED20, ED50 and ED80 from the dose-response curves for the phenolic acids applied alone or in mixtures of fixed ratios. The binary combination of three selected phenolic acids is generally antagonistic relative to the ADM. No evidence for synergistic activities of phenolic acids in the mixture was noted. Since allelopathic activities in nature are largely due to the presence of several compounds in a mixture, the present study advances understanding of the joint action of binary combination of allelochemicals in a mixture.