noun
- the release of chemical substances by plants that inhibit the growth or reproduction of nearby plants or organisms
Usage: biology, ecology; uncountable noun
Examples
- Black walnut trees use allelopathy to prevent other plants from growing beneath them.
- Scientists study allelopathy to understand how plants compete for resources in natural ecosystems.
- The allelopathy of certain weeds makes them difficult to control in agricultural fields.
- Some plants have evolved allelopathy as a survival strategy in crowded environments.
- Allelopathy plays an important role in plant succession and forest dynamics.