What is "autotoxicity"

n. self-destruction of a species through the production of chemicals that escape into the environment and directly inhibit the growth of that species.

Autotoxicity is a form of allelopathy in which a species inhibits growth or reproduction of members of that same species through the production of chemicals that are released into the environment.

This mechanism will result in reduced competition between members of the same species. Inhibition on the growth of other plants will increase the availability of nutrients.

In cultivation, autotoxicity can make it difficult or impossible to grow the same species after harvest of a crop. For example, this is known in alfalfa and the tree Cunninghamia lanceolata Other species displaying autotoxicity include the rush Juncus effusus and the grass Lolium rigidum.