Strobel, G., Dept. of Plant Pathology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, 59717, United States
Sugawara, F., Inst. of Physical and Chemical Research, Laboratory of Herbicide and Plant Growth, Riken, Wako-shi, Saitama, 351, Japan
Hershenhorn, J., Dept. of Plant Pathology, ARO, The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, 50250, Israel

There are many natural enemies of weedy plants; among them are plant pathogens. Plant pathogens are capable of affecting plants, in part because of the phytotoxins they produce. Phytoloxins of weedy pathogens are produced in culture media by most of the phytopathogenic fungi of weeds that we have studied. In most cases the phytotoxin(s) usually belongs to a family of related compounds produced by the pathogen. Phytotoxin production in the medium can be optimized by placement of the host extract into the medium. Lethal activity is usually observed in the concentration range of 10-3-10-6M. The concept of using these molecules, or derivatives thereof, or related compounds as herbicides, should be explored. © 1992, Springer Science + Business Media B.V.. All rights reserved.