Pervinder KaurGupta, Sonali2020-05-282020-05-282020http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810146615Essential oil (EO) based bioherbicides are topic of interest for the new era agriculture because of their sustainable use in the control of weeds. The present study aims to formulate an oil/water (O/W) nanoemulsion (NEm) of Foeniculum vulgare Mill. (fennel) EO and evaluate its herbicidal activity against Phalaris minor Retz. and Avena ludoviciana Durieu. Twenty-six compounds were detected in the GC-MS analysis of F. vulgare EO of which estragole (43.16%) and anethole (29.34%) were the major compounds. In the laboratory bioassay study, the EO concentration of 0.01, 0.02, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 (wt%) significantly inhibited the germination and growth of weeds in dose dependent manner. IC50 value of P. minor and A. ludoviciana was found to be 0.12 and 0.03 (wt%), respectively. Two effective oil concentrations 0.05 and 0.1% (wt%) were formulated into NEms with tween 80 (0.5 wt%) and water. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Z-average diameter data indicated the spherical nature of droplet and confirmed the formation of NEms with average size below 130 nm. Physicochemical properties of NEms indicated their O/W and isotropic nature. NEms were stable to storage, centrifugation and dilution. Formulated NEms completely inhibited the germination of P. minor and A. ludoviciana by adversely affecting the physiological processes like membrane leakage and reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediated cellular damage. The NEms of F. vulgare EO has herbicidal properties as it has high phytotoxic effect and interferes with germination, growth and physiological processes of weeds.enThesis