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REVIEW article
Front. Agron.
Sec. Agroecological Cropping Systems
Volume 7 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fagro.2025.1574846
This article is part of the Research Topic Agroecology in Action: Case Studies, Challenges and Best Practices View all articles
Ancient Insights into Plant Allelopathy and Potential Applications: New Perspectives for Sustainable Development
Provisionally accepted- 1 Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
- 2 Department of Respiratory, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, Beijing, China
This review systematically bridges a critical gap in existing scholarship by re-examining plant interaction principles articulated in ancient Chinese agrarian texts through the lens of contemporary allelopathy research. While prior studies have explored allelochemical mechanisms and molecular interactions, this synthesis uniquely focuses on how classical Chinese theories of "mutual engenderment and restraint" offer actionable insights for sustainable agriculture—a dimension underdeveloped in both historical and modern scientific discourse. By cross-referencing ancient documentation of crop interplanting and weed management strategies with current allelopathic research frameworks, this work identifies synergies between traditional ecological wisdom and cutting-edge phytochemical studies. This dual perspective not only validates the empirical foundations of ancient practices but also uncovers innovative solutions for pest suppression, soil health, and yield optimization in resource-constrained agricultural systems. Unlike conventional reviews that compartmentalize historical and scientific analyses, this study demonstrates the translational potential of cultural heritage by modeling a hybrid research methodology that integrates textual philology, ethnobotany, and molecular ecology. This synthesis repositions ethnobotanical heritage as a dynamic resource for harmonizing productivity with ecological balance.
Keywords: ancient Chinese document, Allelopathy, Modern agriculture, sustainable development, ecological sustainability, Cultural heritage, plant-plant interaction CONTENT
Received: 11 Feb 2025; Accepted: 31 Mar 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Li, Jiao, Dong, Wu, Peng and Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence:
Zilong Zhang, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.