Signal, Not Poison—Screening Mint Essential Oils for Weed Control Leads to Horsemint

Weed control tries to suppress competitors for a crop and often relies on differential intoxication, making use of differences in uptake, development, or metabolism. We explored the possibility using natural signals shift competition favour crop. Using competitive horsemint (Mentha longifolia) as paradigm, we showed that essential oils from certain mint species seedling development different target specific efficient manner. The specificity concerned both donor receptor. demonstrated further effect oil was actin filaments, not microtubules. Since elimination will impair auxin transport, which is root regeneration vegetatively propagating weeds, tested efficacy combination with slow-release carrier against field bindweed (Convolvulus arvensis), pertinent weed organic cereal production. observed this can be specifically blocked, especially if worked into soil. propose allelopathic interactions, relying manipulative chemical signalling, harbour significant potential control.