Meadowfoam-based bioherbicide products

Abstract

Particular aspects provide methods for converting glucosinolate in a glucosinolate-containing plant material to glucosinolate breakdown products (GBPs), comprising: providing an amount of processed glucosinolate-containing plant material, the processed material being depleted of oil and glucosinolate converting enzyme activity by virtue of said processing; providing an amount of glucosinolate converting enzyme activity; mixing the processed material with the amount enzyme activity; hydrating the mixture; and incubating the hydrated mixture, wherein the glucosinolates are enzymatically converted to GBPs. Preferably, the processed plant material comprises a oilseed-derived seedmeal material (e.g., meadowfoam seedmeal) from which the oil has been removed by the processing (e.g., solvent extraction and/or heat treatment). In particular embodiments, the glucosinolate converting enzyme activity comprises at least one of a myrosinase activity and a nitrile-forming activity. Additional aspects provide low-fat compositions (e.g., herbicide, fungicide, insecticide, bacteriostatic or bactericidal, cosmetic, cosmeceutical or pharmaceutical) comprising GBPs derived from a glucosinolate-containing plant material.