Abstract
Parasitic weeds are responsible for large-scale crop devastation all over the world. Parasitic weeds initiate germination by recognizing the secondary metabolites, strigolactones, which are derived from carotenoid and secreted from the roots of the host crops. Strigolactones are also rhizosphere signaling for the symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, and recently, it has been reported that strigolactones and their metabolites act as a novel plant hormone in shoot branching. For the control of parasitic weeds, utilizing the strigolactone biosynthesis inhibitor is one of the promising ways. To screen for the chemicals that inhibit strigolactone biosynthesis, we used chemical library constructed in our laboratory. By LC/MS-MS analysis, we selected some chemicals reducing the level of 2'-epi-5-deoxystrigol in rice and found some chemicals. In addition, these chemicals inhibited the Striga infection. These results suggest that stigolactone biosynthesis inhibitors can be new tool for controlling the parasitic weeds.
