Impact of Allelochemicals in Crop Protection Management: A Review

One of the most serious issues is biotic stress in plants produced by insect pests, which results
in production losses. Synthetic pesticides continue to play an important role in crop
protection. Yet, the environmental consequences and health risks caused by excessive or
improper use of synthetic pesticides compelled authorities to ban some dangerous ones. As a
result, there is an urgent need for unique and alternative insect pest management strategies.
Allelopathy is a naturally occurring ecological phenomenon of organism interaction that can
be used to manage weeds, insect pests, and illnesses in field crops. Allelopathy can be
utilized in field crops after rotation, using cover crops, mulching, crop smothering, and plant
extracts for natural pest management. Allelochemicals in soil are adsorbed on soil solids and
decomposed during soil movement by chemical and biological reactions. Its behavior is
influenced by soil characteristics such as soil texture, organic and inorganic matter, moisture,
and organisms, all of which have an impact on phytotoxic activity in soil. Although
allelochemicals are produced throughout the plant, root exudation is the principal source of
chemical release into the soil environment. Therefore, this review will focus on the role of
insect-pest management, factors affecting production and release of allelochemicals, their
activity and limitations in insect-pest management.