Cecropia pachystachya (embauba) is a tree of the Urticaceae family, typical of forest margins. It grows quickly and is abundant throughout Brazil. In this study, the allelophatic potential of the methanolic extracts from the bark, trunk and roots of Cecropia pachystachya cultivated in Uberaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil was analyzed through germination bioassays and growth measurements of the aerial part of Panicum maximum. The best effect was observed in the root extracts at 150 ppm concentration. The following main volatile constituents were identified by GC/MS: geranylacetone, lauric acid, palmitic acid, octadecanal and long chain alkenes in the bark; geranylacetone, farnesol, farnesylacetone, octadecanal, palmitic acid and long-chain alkenes in the root; and geranylacetone, palmitic acid and long-chain alkenes in the wood.
allelophatic activity; volatile compounds; methanolic extract
