Aquatic weed control versus utilisation

Abstract

During recent years a large number of articles have appeared in scientific periodicals, magazines and newspapers emphasizing the need for utilisation of various aquatic weeds, especially water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) (Boyd, 1970; Sharma, 1971; Rogers and Davis, 1972; Little, 1968; Bagnall et al., 1973; Varshney and Rzoska, 1976). The multiplicity of the publications and the interest in the subject is highlighted by the appearance of three papers in a single issue of Economic Botany (Boyd, 1976; Bates and Hentges, 1976; Wooten and Dodd, 1976). One of the latest publications is the report of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences entitled Making Aquatic Weeds Useful: Some Perspectives for Developing Countries (Anonymous, 1976). A reading of these accounts makes one feel that man has discovered new resources which may substitute hitherto known materials for such valuable needs as proteins for man, feed for animals, pulp for paper and above all fuel (as biogas). There is hardly any need that cannot be fulfilled by using aquatic weeds in place of traditional materials! This communication intends to record our views and serious reservations against the plea for utilisation of aquatic weeds on the basis of available literature and our own studies. We do not intend to review the whole literature but only to survey briefly to develop our viewpoint.