ALLELOPATHY AND ALLELOCHEMICAL INTERACTIONS AMONG PLANTS.

Allelopathy determines the dynamics of plant species in different environments. Plants can release chemicals into the environment that suppress the growth and establishment of other plants in their vicinity, a process known as 'allelopathy'. Chemicals with allelopathic functions have other ecological roles, such as plant defence, nutrient chelation and regulation of soil biota in ways that affect decomposition and soil fertility. In this review we explore allelopathy in the context of environmental characteristics that control the production and release of allelochemicals in both natural and agricultural systems. This study highlights the current understanding of how evolution might affect the intensity and importance of allelopathic interactions. Understanding this biological phenomenon could help to understand the environmental changes caused by allelochemicals and summarizes the knowledge about the mechanisms of action of these compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]