Concurrent weed growth suppression with essential oils and species-specific response to fractionated coconut oil

Plant-derived oils are phytotoxic and thus are potential non-synthetic herbicides. The present study investigated the effectiveness of three essential oils (red thyme, clove bud, cinnamon bark) and a vegetable oil, fractionated coconut oil (FCO), used alone or in 2-way essential/FCO mixes for controlling some troublesome weeds at seedling stage. The tested weeds were mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris L.), crown daisy (Glebionis coronaria (L.) Spach), milk thistle (Sylibum marianum (L.) Gaertn.), dense-flowered mullein (Verbascum densiflorum Bertol.), goosegrass (Eleusine indica L. (Gaertn.)), entireleaf morningglory (Ipomoea hederacea (L.) Jacq.), small-flower morningglory (Jacquemontia tamnifolia (L.) Griseb), large crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop.), hemp sesbania (Sesbania exaltata (Raf.) Rydb. ex A.W. Hill).