IJMEC_2025v15n5

International Journal of Molecular Ecology and Conservation, 2025, Vol.15, No.5, 240-248 http://ecoevopublisher.com/index.php/ijmec 24 5 agricultural production, the use of juglanone to replace some chemical herbicides can reduce the risk of environmental pollution and simultaneously delay or inhibit the spread of drug-resistant weeds (Lu et al., 2015). However, its field effect is often restricted by environmental factors such as the rate of soil adsorption and degradation. The grass suppression efficiency of juglanone still needs more field verification (Islam and Widhalm, 2020). 5.2 Adverse effects and planting management risks The sensitization effect of black walnut may also have adverse effects on mixed crops and the environment, and requires careful management. The toxicity of walnut ketone to sensitive crops means that highly sensitive species must be avoided when choosing crop types in agroforestry systems. If susceptible crops such as vegetables and tobacco are planted under black walnut groves, it may lead to a sharp reduction in yield or even total crop failure, which is a major risk of black walnut intercropping (Nicolescu et al., 2020; Ochekwu and Uzoma, 2020). The accumulation of juglanone in the soil may have a continuous impact on subsequent crops. After the removal of walnut trees, walnut ketone in their soil can remain for several months (Xu et al., 2023). Therefore, when converting black walnut forest land into farmland, it is necessary to allow a certain amount of soil fallow or plant plants with strong detoxification ability to promote the degradation of juglanone and avoid residual chemical hazards to subsequent planting (Islam and Widhalm, 2020). The allergenic substances in black walnut may also affect soil ecology: although juglanone can inhibit weeds, excessive amounts may also suppress the activities of beneficial organisms in the soil (such as earthworms and nitrogen-fixing bacteria), which is not conducive to soil health in the long run. Management measures can be taken to reduce this risk, such as enhancing soil aeration and organic matter input to promote microbial degradation of juglanone (Islam and Widhalm, 2020). It is notable that studies have found that the content of juglanone in some by-products of black walnut (such as nut shells and wood shavings) is very low, and it is usually safe to use it as mulch or substrate (Athaillah et al., 2024). 5.3 Potential utilization prospects of chemosensitive substances in agriculture The sensitization strategy of black walnut is a "double-edged sword" in agriculture and forestry. Future research and practice can be dedicated to making full use of the favorable aspects of this "double-edged sword". Walnut ketone, as a natural product, is expected to be developed into an environmentally friendly biopesticide or plant-based herbicide (Islam and Widhalm, 2020). Compared with synthetic herbicides, walnut ketone is derived from renewable resources and can be degraded by microorganisms in the environment, thus being more environmentally friendly (Liu et al., 2022). Juglandone has an inductive resistance effect on certain crops at low doses, which is known as the "hormone-like" or "positive stimulation" effect. Studies have shown that low concentrations of juglanone can induce the expression of antioxidant enzymes and detoxification enzymes in plants, enhancing their resistance to pests and diseases. With the development of nanotechnology, loading walnut ketone onto nanocellators can significantly improve its water solubility and stability, and enhance its efficacy against target organisms (Ahmad and Suzuki, 2019; Gumus et al., 2020). Gumus et al. (2020) have demonstrated that walnut ketone encapsulated in PLGA nanoparticles has stronger and more persistent antifungal activity than free walnut ketone. The black walnut sensory transformation strategy also provides ideas in the design of ecological agricultural systems. For example, the natural weeding characteristics of walnut trees can be utilized to plant tolerant forage or medicinal plants under their forests, achieving a win-win situation of weed suppression and yield (Bishop et al., 2024); Or intercrop black walnut with certain species that can promote the degradation of its chemical substances to achieve a dynamic balance of "trees suppressing grass and grass protecting trees" (Bai et al., 2022). 6 The Adaptive Significance of Sensitization Strategies in the Context of Global Change 6.1 Interaction between walnut ketone release and environmental factors Global climate and environmental changes may affect the effectiveness of the black walnut sensation strategy. Environmental factors such as precipitation, temperature, soil properties, etc. significantly regulate the release, migration and degradation of juglandone in the ecosystem (Nicolescu et al., 2020). For instance, in a humid and

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