Bio-herbicidal Potential of Fungal Secondary Metabolites: Mechanisms of Weed Suppression and Pathogenesis

Abstract

The agriculture industry is currently faced with the twin challenges of weed herbicide-resistant biotypes and environmental poison associated with synthetic chemicals. Fungal secondary metabolites, the biologically active compounds produced by phytopathogenic fungi, have lately shown to be a powerful option for weed control. These pesticidal natural compounds vary from low-molecular-weight toxins to complex peptides, and function by inhibiting essential physiological processes in the target weeds. In this review, the biochemical pathways of fungal metabolites are discussed, as well as how they may be categorized according to host specificity and that followed by specific mechanisms (e.g., inhibition of Photosystem II or disruption of ATP synthase in photosynthesis or systemic necrosis) that lead to weed killing. This review examined the present available literatures and trial data to assess the potential of these metabolites as an alternative for eco-friendly bio-herbicides.