Ecology, Biology, Environmental Impacts, and Management of an Agro-Environmental Weed Ageratum conyzoides

Abstract

Ageratum conyzoides L. (Billy goat weed; Asteraceae) is an annual herbaceous plant of American origin with a pantropical distribution. The plant has unique biological attributes and a raft of miscellaneous chemical compounds that render it a pharmacologically important herb. Despite its high medicinal value, the constant spread of the weed is noticeable and alarming. In many countries, the weed has severely invaded the natural, urban, and agroecosystems, thus presenting management challenges to natural resource professionals and farmers. Its interference with agricultural crops, grassland forbs, forest ground flora, and its ability to replace native plant species are of serious concern. Therefore, it is pertinent to monitor its continuous spread, its entry into new geographic regions, the extent of its impact, and the associated evolutionary changes. While management strategies should be improvised to control its spread and reduce its adverse impacts, the possible utilization of this noxious weed for pharmacological and agronomic purposes should also be explored. The objective of this review is to provide a detailed account of the global distribution, biological activities, ecological and environmental impacts, and strategies for the management of the agro-environmental weed A. conyzoides.

Ecological Traits and Socio-Economic Impacts of the Alien Invader Weed Parthenium hysterophorus L. in South Africa’s Rangeland Ecosystems: A Review

“…Its growth is best suited under high light intensities [59] and elevated nitrogen levels [60]. The high phenotypic plasticity allows this weed species to settle in novel surroundings via suitable biomass allocation [61,62]. It is a very common ruderal species, particularly prolific in disturbed habitats [21].…”