Determination of Allelopathic and Genotoxic Effects of Usnea florida (L.) Weber EX F.H. Wigg Total Extract

In agricultural production, weeds that grow spontaneously and reduce the yield considerably have been struggled for many years. Many environmental problems arise due to the use of chemical products in the fight against weeds. As an alternative to chemical products, the use of natural extracts obtained from various living things as bioherbicides has gained importance. It is known that natural extracts obtained from lichens, which are formed as a result of symbiotic partnership with the combination of fungi and algae, show biological activities such as antifungal, antimicrobial, antigenotoxic, cytotoxic and allelopathic properties. In this study, it was aimed to determine the effects of total acetone extract of Usnea florida (L.) lichen, known as "beard lichen", on seed germination and potential genotoxic effects in some plant species. Different concentrations of acetone extract obtained from the Usnea florida lichen species were applied to the seeds of the weed species Amaranthus retroflexus (redroot pigweed), Portulaca oleracea (common purslane), Setaria verticillata (bristly foxtail) and the cultivar Triticum aestivum (wheat). ISSR and RAPD-PCR, which are PCR-based molecular marker methods, were used to determine the genotoxic effects. As a result, it was revealed that lichen total acetone extract had allelopathic and genotoxic effects on weeds and cultivated plant seed germination depending on the concentration. The potential for use of Usnea florida total acetone extract as a bioherbicide varied according to the weed species.