Invasive Mechanisms of One of the World’s Worst Alien Plant Species Mimosa pigra and Its Management

Abstract

Mimosa pigra is native to Tropical America, and it has naturalized in many other countries especially in Australia, Eastern and Southern Africa and South Asia. The species is listed in the top 100 of the world’s worst invasive alien species and is listed as Least Concern in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. M. pigra forms very large monospecific stands in a wet–dry tropical climate with conditions such as floodplains, riverbanks, grasslands, forests and agricultural fields. The stands expand quickly and threaten the native flora and fauna in the invasive ranges. Possible mechanisms of the invasion of the species have been investigated and accumulated in the literature. The characteristics of the life history such as the high reproduction and high growth rate, vigorous mutualism with rhizobia and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, very few natural enemies, and allelopathy, and certain secondary metabolites may contribute to the invasiveness and naturalization of M. pigra. Herbicide application, such as aerial spraying, foliar, cut-stump and soil treatments, is the primary control methods of M. pigra. The investigation of the natural enemies of M. pigra has been conducted in its native ranges since 1979, and biological control agents have been selected based on host specificity, rearing and availability. Mechanical control practices, such as hand weeding, bulldozing, chaining and fire, were also effective. However, the species often regrow from the remaining plant parts. Integration of multiple weed control practices may be more effective than any single practice. This is the first review article focusing on the invasive mechanism of M. pigra.

Isolation and Identification of Allelopathic Substances from Forsythia suspensa Leaves, and Their Metabolism and Activity

“…de Wit. were applied as foliar spray and/or irrigation water, the emergence and growth of several weed species were significantly inhibited under field, greenhouse and laboratory conditions [ 47 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 ]. When the leaves of L. camara , I. cylindrica, and L. leucocephala were mixed with soil, the emergence and growth of several weed species were also suppressed under field and greenhouse conditions [ 56 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 ].…”

Isolation and identification of allelochemicals and their activities and functions

“…Two other medicinal plants, Albizia richardiana (Fabaceae family) and Elaeocarpus floribundus (Elaeocarpaceae family) showed allelopathic activity, and two novel compounds, 3-hydroxy-4-oxo-β-dehydroionol (11) and elaeocarpunone (12) were isolated, respectively (Fig. 8).…”

“…Allelochemicals also disturb the mutualism of receiver plants with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and/or rhizobia. [10][11][12] Rhizobium nodulation occurs in legumes, and enhances the host plant performance through the supply of ammonium and nitrogen to the host plants. 13,14) Colonization of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi occurs in the most territorial plants, and enhances the host plant performance through the increasing the absorption of water and nutrients, photosynthesis of the host plants, and their defense functions against pathogen attacks and stress conditions.…”

The Invasive Mechanisms of the Noxious Alien Plant Species Bidens pilosa

“…The species is native to tropical America and has naturized in over 60 countries of tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate regions in Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and North and South America [1][2][3]. Many of the invasive plant species potentially threaten the native flora and fauna in the introduced ranges [16][17][18]. B. pilosa has infested a wide range of habitats such as grasslands, forest margins, secondary forests, wetlands, streamlines, coastal areas, roadsides, railway sides, disturbed lands, pasture, plantations, and agriculture fields [1,2,[19][20][21].…”