| Abstract: | This paper surveys our work on natural products as potential models for defensive substances against insect and fungal predators. Insecticides and repellents included are pyrethrins, rotenoids, lipid amides, phorbol esters, cordifolia germacranolides, nicandrenoids, mammeins, dihydroagarofuran esters, and cembrene diols. The fungal H-S toxins from Alternaria, and avenacins from oat roots are briefly considered. The avenacins provide an in-situ defence of oat roots against the destructive ‘Take-all’ fungus disease. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry |
