BIOLOGY AND CONTROL METHODS OF THE ALIEN INVASIVE WEED MIKANIA MICRANTHA: A REVIEW

Screening Allelochemical-Resistant Species of the Alien Invasive Mikania micrantha for Restoration in South China

To screen allelochemical-resistant species of the alien invasive weed Mikania micrantha, we studied the allelopathic inhibition effects of the leaf aqueous extract (LAE) of Mikania on seed germination and seedling growth of the 26 species native or naturalized in the invaded region in South China. Seed germination was more strongly negatively affected by LAE than seedling growth. Responses of s...

Can Failure be Turned into Success for Biological Control of Mile-a-Minute Weed (Mikania micrantha)?

Research into biological control of Mikania micrantha Kunth (Asteraceae) started in 1978, concentrating on insect agents. Host specificity studies on the first agent, Liothrips mikaniae (Priesner) (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripidae) from Trinidad were completed by 1982, and the thrips was released in the Solomon Islands in 1988 and, subsequently in Malaysia in 1990. Neither release led to establish...

energetic cost of leaf construction in the invasive weed Mikania micrantha H.B.K. and its co-occurring species: implications for invasiveness

Construction cost (CC) is a quantifiable measure of energy demand for biomass production and is related to energy-use efficiency. Low construction cost was hypothesized to give invaders a growth advantage by utilizing energy efficiently. The present study examines the energetic cost of leaf construction in the invasive weed Mikania micrantha H.B.K. and its five common co-occurring species (Ager...

Interactive Effect of Herbivory and Competition on the Invasive Plant Mikania micrantha

A considerable number of host-specific biological control agents fail to control invasive plants in the field, and exploring the mechanism underlying this phenomenon is important and helpful for the management of invasive plants. Herbivory and competition are two of the most common biotic stressors encountered by invasive plants in their recipient communities. We predicted that the antagonistic...

Alternative Weed Control Methods: A Review