Abstract
Parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus L.) is an internationally important invasive weed native to the tropical and sub-tropical Americas, and invasive in more than 30 countries. This weed has serious adverse influences on rangeland and agricultural crop production, on human and animal health, and on the biodiversity of natural communities. Parthenium weed leaf litter can reduce seedling emergence and affect the early growth of a wide range of pasture and crop species. Soil collected from a heavily infested parthenium weed area was shown to reduce seedling emergence of a wide range of test plants (lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), maize (Zea mays L.), curly windmill grass (Enteropogon acicularis L.), and liverseed grass (Urochloa panicoides P.Beauv.)) by between 20 to 40%; however, the soil had no effect on the subsequent growth of the surviving test plants. Soil amended with dried parthenium weed leaf litter reduced the emergence of test species by ca. 20 to 40%, but it had no effect on the growth of the surviving test plants. One week after emergence, the growth of all test species was stimulated by 9 to 86% in the leaf litter-amended soil with the increased growth matching the increased amounts leaf litter amended. In parthenium weed-infested landscapes, the substrate (soil) is affected by the plant during the growing season by the release of allelopathic chemicals. However, the plant’s litter can affect the community outside of the growing season, first through a residual allelopathic activity, but also by a fertilizing effect as litter breakdown occurs. This study demonstrates the significant ability of parthenium weed to affect plant communities throughout the year and, when considered over several years, this may lead to the creation of a complete monoculture of the weed.
Highlights
Parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus L.; Asteraceae) is an annual herbaceous plant believed to have originated from the area surrounding the Gulf of Mexico or from central South America [1]
The main aims of this study were to (1) investigate seed germination and the subsequent growth of a range of pasture species and crops in soil collected from a parthenium weed-infested and non-infested rangeland; (2) investigate seed germination and growth of a range of pasture species and crops in soils amended with varying quantities of parthenium weed leaf litter
Seedling growth: Following a further 7 days of growth for the remaining two seedlings per pot, it was observed that three of the four test species were inhibited in their growth, as assessed by shoot length (Figure 2) and biomass accumulation (Figure 3) in the soil collected from the parthenium weed-infested field site, with maize the only species not Agronomy 2021, 11, x FOR PEER REVIEW
Summary
Parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus L.; Asteraceae) is an annual herbaceous plant believed to have originated from the area surrounding the Gulf of Mexico or from central South America [1]. This weed has a pantropical distribution and is found in more than 80 countries [2]. Parthenium weed is known to have substantial negative impacts on agricultural crop production [3], the rearing of grazing animals [3,4,5], and on human health [5]. Many natural ecosystems have been invaded and negatively impacted by parthenium weed [6]. The reasons for the species’ success in its introduced range has been attributed to its high rate of production of viable seeds, a long life in the soil seed bank, a variable short to long lifecycle allowing for the production of seeds under nearly any environmental condition, a tolerance to a range of environmental stresses, the absence of natural enemies, the use of
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