The global optimization of the ethanol extracts from Cichorium intybus root and its herbicidal activity

In order to observe influences of the eight factors, including ethanol content, ratio of solidtosolvent, impregnating time and replications, ultrasonic temperature and time, input power, and ultrasonic replications, on Chicory root (Cichorium intybus) extractive rate, L16(4326) mixed orthogonal design was applied in the study. To determine herbicidal activity of Chicory root extracts, Echinochloa crusgalli and Amaranthus retroflexus seeds were geminated in different concentrations of aqueous extracts of Chicory roots. Results of the study revealed that the eight factors influenced the extracting process (P0.05) significantly. The optimal conditions of the extracting process consisted of that zero of ethanol content, 1∶8 of the ratio of solidtosolvent, 65℃ of ultrasonic temperature, 24 h of impregnating time, 2 times of impregnating replications, 30 min of ultrasonic time, 400 W of ultrasonic input power and 2 times of ultrasonic replications. Besides, the importance of the eight factors were displayed with gradual decrease as ethanol content, impregnating replications, ultrasonic input power, ultrasonic temperature, ultrasonic replications, the ratio of solidtosolvent, impregnating time and ultrasonic time. The effect of sixteen treatments of Chicory root crude extracts on E. crusgalli and A. retroflexus seed gemination proved that the Chicory root extracts had herbicidal activity and the inhibitory activity was significant (P0.05). Compared with 2,4dichlorophenoxyacetic acid of positive control, some treatments had equivalent function (P0.05). The present study demonstrates that the eight factors have been optimized by L16(4326) mixed orthogonal design accurately and selected by the orders according to their importance. Moreover, Chicory root crude extracts can be future potential as botanical herbicides.