The ability of the maize pathogen Fusarium subglutinans to metabolize benzoxazolin-2(3H)-one (BOA) and 6-methoxybenzoxazolin-
2(3H)-one (MBOA), important allelochemicals of Zea mays, was studied. Growth of mycelium was completely inhibited by 10 mM
BOA and reduced by lower concentrations. In vitro the fungus completely degraded 1 mM concentrations of BOA and MBOA
within 2 d. N-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-malonamic acid and N-(2-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-malonamic acid were identified as the main
degradation products of these allelochemicals.