Abstract:The bioassay-guided column chromatography and TLC on silica gel, and MS, 1H- and 13C-NMR spectral techniques were used to isolate and determinate the structure of antibiotic from Curvularia eragrostidis QZ-2000, and to evaluate its herbicidal activity. The herbicidal activity of the toxin to D.sanguinalis was tested by seed germination, the elongation of root and shoot. The needle puncturing leaf assay techniques were used to test the specificity and effect of toxin on photosynthetic pigment content of D.sanguinalis. MS, 1H- and 13C-NMR spectral data indicated that the toxin is helminthosporin. The melting point of the toxin is 225-227℃, and the molecular formula is C15H10O5. The toxin had inhibitory effect on elongation of D.sanguinalis root. At 150 μg/mL concentration, the inhibition of the toxin to root elongation reached 44.59%. Helminthosporin showed impact on photosynthetic pigment content of D.sanguinalis leaf. When the concentration of toxin reached 200 μg/mL, the chlorophyll content of D.sanguinalis leaf decreased by 18.41%. Twenty three troublesome weeds and five crops were tested to study specificity of helminthosporin. The result showed that 18 out of the 28 species were susceptible to the toxin. Chenopodium serotinum is the most susceptive, and D.sanguinalis, Polygonum aviculare, Beckmannia syzigachna, Chenopodium album and Alopecurus japonicus took second place. Soybean, cotton, tomato, Amaranthus retroflexus and Echinochloa crus-galli were resistant to toxin at 500 μg/mL concentration. Helminthosporin produced by C.eragrostidis QZ-2000 could be developed as a biocontrol agent for weed control in soybean and cotton fields.