Common Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) Causes Severe Yield Losses in Soybean and Impairs Bradyrhizobium japonicum Infection

Abstract

Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. (Asteraceae), known as common ragweed, is an annual herbaceous species native to North America that has become one of the most economically important weeds in arable fields throughout Central Europe. Its large ecological amplitude enables the species to become established in several types of environments, and management options to effectively contain its spread are limited due to a lack of efficacy, high cost, or lack of awareness. In the last decade, in particular, soybean fields have been severely affected by common ragweed invasion. However, until now, information on the yield-decreasing effects of the plant has been scarce. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the competition effects of common ragweed on (1) soybean growth (aboveground/belowground), (2) the yield of two different soybean cultivars, and (3) the nodulation potential. Based on a greenhouse and biennial field trial, we found that in plots with the highest common ragweed biomass, the soybean yield loss accounted for 84% compared to the weed-free control, on average. The number of nodules, in addition to the mean nodule weight, which are tightly correlated with soybean yield, were significantly reduced by the presence of common ragweed. Just one common ragweed plant per square meter reduced the number of nodules by 56%, and consequently led to a decrease in yield of 18%. Although it has been reported that the genus Ambrosia produces and releases several types of secondary metabolites, little is known about the influence of these chemical compounds on soybean growth and nodulation. Thus, there is substantial need for research to understand the mechanisms behind the interaction between common ragweed and soybean, with a view to finding new approaches for improved common ragweed control, thereby protecting soybean and other crops against substantial yield losses.

Response of invasive perennial western ragweed (Ambrosia psilostachya) to chemical and mechanical control

“…The allopathic potential and reduced crop yields such as soybean (Glycine max L.), beet (Beta vulgaris L.), and sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) due to the presence of the Ambrosia spp. also have been recorded in many studies (Bosak & Mod, 2000;Hall et al, 2021;Pinke et al, 2013). Moreover, it is one of the most competitive weeds in crop fields such as corn (Zea mays L.), soybean (Glycine max L.) in the United States (Stoller et al, 1987;Webster et al, 1994).…”

Extracts and Residues of Common Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) Cause Alterations in Root and Shoot Growth of Crops

“…In this context, the annual herbaceous common ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., subsequently named ragweed), which is native to North America, but which has migrated to farm fields and early successional sites in Europe since the mid-20th century, is of particular interest [10][11][12]. In several countries, e.g., Austria, Germany, Hungary, France, Italy, Ukraine, Russia, Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, and Switzerland, common ragweed is nowadays one of the most important agricultural weeds, causing severe yield losses in soybean, maize, or sunflower [13][14][15]. Furthermore, it is also a main threat to human health due to abundant allergenic pollen release, which was identified to be the main cause of hay fever and allergic rhinitis in late summer in Central Europe [16][17][18].…”

Reduced Invasiveness of Common Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) Using Low-Dose Herbicide Treatments for High-Efficiency and Eco-Friendly Control

“…A. artemisiifolia can produce large amounts of allergenic pollen becoming a threat to public health ( Schaffner et al, 2020 ). Furthermore, A. artemisiifolia can invade farmland and greatly reduce crop yields ( Pinke et al, 2019 ; Hall et al, 2021 ). Overall, the negative impacts of this species on agriculture and human health have been estimated to cause economic losses of up to 4.5 billion Euros per year in Europe ( Bullock et al, 2012 ).…”