A novel herbicide improves functional outcomes in a conventional weed of summer crops: An alternative to Treflan®

The widespread use of chemical herbicides in agroecosystems poses significant environmental risks, driving the need for sustainable alternatives. This study evaluates the inhibitory effects of essential oil (EO) from the stem, leaf, and flower of Echinophora cinerea Boiss. (Apiaceae) on the seed germination of common amaranth (Amaranthus retroflexus), compared with Treflan®, a conventional herbicide. The results showed that concentrations of ≥ 1 µL/mL of E. cinerea EO completely inhibited seed germination, while lower concentrations (0.5 µL/mL) were significantly more effective than the control and Treflan®. Both treatments induced similar levels of malondialdehyde, electrolyte leakage, and hydrogen peroxide in A. retroflexus, with comparable cell viability and proline content (except for leaf EO). Radicle and plumule length in EO-treated plants were reduced by 58–65 % and 16–22 %, respectively, compared to Treflan®’s inhibition of 91 % and 76–85 %. Plumule fresh weight was similar in both EO and Treflan® treatments, though radicle fresh weight was lower with EO (p > 0.05). EO derived from E. cinerea has significant growth inhibitory potential and can induce oxidative stress, making it an effective weed control tool. Overall, essential oil of E. cinerea can be considered as a bioherbicide with an extremely low inhibitory concentration (IC100 ≤ 1 µL/mL). Its effectiveness comparable to Treflan® in reducing weed growth at the same concentration highlights its potential for industrial production as a bioherbicide.