Inhibition of the Germination of Root Parasitic Plants by Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework‐8

Crystalline ZIF‐8 ( C ‐ZIF‐8 ) and amorphous ZIF‐8 ( Am ‐ZIF‐8 ) were prepared and investigated to control the germination of Striga hermonthica , a root parasitic plant, which threatens cereal crops production particularly in sub‐Saharan Africa. We have demonstrated that Am ‐ZIF‐8 shows a better performance than C ‐ZIF‐8 in inhibiting Striga seeds germination. This efficient performance of Am ‐ZIF‐8 materials can be attributed to the incomplete deprotonation of 2 methylimidazole (2MIM) during amorphization, leading to the presence of unsaturated Zn−N coordination with the uncoordinated ‐NH groups available to undergo hydrogen bonding with the strigolactone analog GR24 forming a more stable Am‐ZIF‐8⋅⋅⋅GR24 hydrogen bonded network. We further established that application of ZIF‐8 materials generally has no adverse effects on the growth and quality of rice crops.