In the present investigation, substituted cinnamic acids (3-hydroxy, 4-hydroxy, 2-nitro, 3-nitro, 4-nitro, 3-chloro, and 4-methoxy) and their amide analogues with four different types of substituted anilines have been synthesized. The synthesized compounds have been screened for their germination inhibition activity on radish (Raphanus sativus L. var. Japanese White) seeds at 50, 100, and 200 ppm concentrations, and the activity was compared with standard herbicide, metribuzin formulation (sencor). Significant activity was exhibited by all of the compounds. It was observed that with the increase in concentration of the test solution, the activity also increased. All of the compounds showed more than 70% inhibition at 100 ppm concentration except 4-hydroxy cinnamanilide. The compound, 2-chloro (4'-hydroxy) cinnamanilide was the best among the tested compounds, and it was found to be at par with the standard, metribuzin at all concentrations. Thus, it can be concluded that substituted cinnamic acids and their amide analogues may be developed as potential herbicides.

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The present study used molecular modeling and docking based approaches to test some proteins viz, ABC transporter, Amr1, Betatubulin, Cutinase, Fusicoccadiene synthase and Glutathione transferase of Alternaria brassicicola as possible molecular target of phytoalexins during pathogenesis or defense response. Molecular Operating Environment (MOE) was used to predict 3D structures of above proteins which were subsequently docked with phytoalexins which included Camalexin, Brassilexin, Rutalexin and Spirobrassinin by Molegro Virtual Docker. The results of molecular docking of Spirobrassinin with the above targets showed greater affinity as revealed from binding energy in the range of-73.09 to-94.46 Kcal/mol. Accordingly five derivatives of Spirobrassinin were further designed and docked against each target proteins, so as to detect phytoalexin(s) having the antifungal potential. The molecular modeling and docking experiments identified two derivatives of Spirobrassinins, with binding energy in the range of-77.50 to-85.88 Kcal/mol respectively, which could be used for protection of Brassica plants against infection by Alternaria spp including Alternaria brassicicola and Alternaria brassicae, main pathogen of Alternaria blight in rapeseed mustard. Further studies and downstream validation would give way to use the above phytoalexin(s) as a substitute for hazardous fungicides to control plant diseases.

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