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Emerging problem of alligator weed Alternanthera philoxeroides
(Martius) Grisebach in ponds and low land area at Jabalpur
(Madhya Pradesh)' India
..
Sushilkumar and V.M. Bhan
National Research Centre for Weed Science
Maharajpur, Adhartal, Jabalpur (M.P.)-482 004
Abstract:
The spread of alligator weed
Alternanthera philoxeroides
has been observed at
the alarming rate in and around the city of Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh) especially in the
ponds earlier badly infested with water hyacinth. This weed was also observed to be
rapidly spread in the terrestrial area of the low land where water was inundated during
rains. Fast spread of this weed is especially important in India where its current distribution
and spread is only a fraction of its potential distribution. This alarming spread at Jabalpur
has necessitated the prompt control of this weed.
Key-words:
Alligator-weed; Alarming-spread; Terrestrial growth.
Alligator weed,
Alternanthera
philoxeroides
(Martius) Grisebach
of family Amaranthaceae, is a
native of south America. In
America, it generally occurs in wet
land places like river and stream
banks and on adjacent water, on
floating vegetation mats, in
swampy and also in dry land area
(Julien and Brodbent, 1980). It
was reported to invade similar
range of habitat in USA, Australia,
New Zealand and China where it is
considered as an important weed.
Alternanthera philoxeroides
grows
very fast which can cover water
ways and may adversely affect the
flow of water, navigation and
aquatic flora and fauna (Julien and
Broadhent, 1980; Spencer and
Coulson, 1976). Terrestrial form of
alligator weed invades and
competes with pastures and
provides a source for its further
spread (Julien and Bourne, 1988).
A, philoxeroides
was first reported
in India from Bihar and West Bengal
(Maheswari, 1965) and latter on
from north-east India and Bangalore
(Sankaran and Narayanan, 1971).
It was recently introduced into
Kerala and has become a serious
weed in the aquatic ecosystem of
Kerala. The plant was reported and
described and its economic
importance and impact on the
aquatic ecosystem of Kerala was
discussed (Madhusoodanan and
Kumar, 1993). Wagh
et al.,(1995)
reported
A. philoxeroides
for the
first time from Pune. The structure
and growth of the plant along with
probable origins and current
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distribution in India were outlined.
The economic uses of the plant and
its possible weed status were also
discussed by them.
Jabalpur is one of the big cities of
Madhya Pradesh State situated
almost in the middle of India.
The climate in the district may be
divided into three seasons, the hot
season from about the middle of
March to the middle of June, the
monsoon season from the middle
of June to the end of September
and the winter season from
November to middle of march,
October being the transitional
month between monsoon and
winter conditions. The average
annual rainfall over the district is
about 1270 mm and about 88% of
the annual rainfall during the
mansoon months. In the district of
Jabalpur about six rivers pass and
among them Narmada being the
most sacred and big river. In
earlier days, Jabalpur was known
to be a city of "tals" (ponds) owing
to many small and big ponds in and
around the city but owing to
population pressure many small
ponds have been filled up to meet
the growing demands of the
population for space, nevertheless,
many big and small ponds still
exist. Among these, The Robertson
lake now also called as Man
Singh's pond, Ranital, Devotal,
Mahanadda, Hanumantal are some
of the prominent ponds.
In recent years, an interesting
phenomenon of dominance of
alligator weed in the ponds earlier
infested with water hyacinth has
been observed. Most of the ponds
of Jabalpur and adjoining area were
being monitored for last 3 years
under biological control programme
of water hyacinth and other aquatic
weeds. During initial survey in the
beginning of 1994, three prominent
ponds of Jabalpur infested with
water hyacinth were marked for
study. At that time all these ponds
were badly infested with water
hyacinth and alligator weed existed
only at very low level mostly on the
bank side but by the end of 1996,
all these ponds were found badly
infested with alligator weed and
water hyacinth was at very low
level.
Alligator weed was also found to
spread rapidly in the low land area
inundated with water of rains
occurred during monsoon or
winter season or intermittently. In
low land, water gets the chance to
stay for longer duration which
helps alligator weed to increase its
density as well as to spread at
other places. The other
contributory factors of its alarming
spread may be that people also use
this weed as animal fodder by
cutting it from the infested pond
and terrestrial growth and offer to
cattle after mixing with other feed.
Stray cattle frequently take the bite
of this weed on the terrestrial
(68)
II"FFf) :\,FIr,'" 3( 1&2) :
67-(1)
(11)%)
growth in low land area thus
contributing its spread to other
virgin areas. The nutritive value of
this weed was established by
Bhatta and Oas (1996).
This alarming spread of alligator
weed in ponds and low land area in
Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh) has
adversely affected human access,
flow of water and fishing in the
ponds. On land, its terrestrial
growth is replacing rapidly other
vegetation. Fast spread of this
weed is especially important in
India where its current distribution
and spread is only a fraction of its
potential distribution. This alarming
spread of alligator weed in Jabalpur
has necessitated the prompt
control of this weed.
References
Bhatta, R. and Oas, T.K. 1996. Chemical and amino acid composition of
alligator weed
(Alternanthera philoxeroides). Indian Veterinary
J.,
73(7) :799-800.
Julien, M.H. and Bourne, A.S. 1988. Alligator weed is spreading in
Australia.
Plant Prof. Quart., 3:91-96.
Julien, M.H. and Broadbent, J.E. 1980. The biology of Australian weeds
3.
Alternanthera philoxeroides
(Mart.) Griseb.
J.
Aust. Inst. Agric.
Sc., 150.155.
Madhusoodanan, P.V. and Kumar, K.G.A. 1993.
AIternan thera
philoxeroides
(Mart.) Griseb. - alligator weed' - a fast spreading
weed in Kerala, south India.
J.
Economic Taxo. Botany, 17(3):651-
654.
Maheshwari, J.K. 1965. Alligator weed in Indian lakes.
Nature, 206:
1270.
Sankaran, T. and Narayanan, E. 1971. Occurrence of the alligator weed
in south India.
CurroSci.,
40 (23): 641.
Wagh, G.K., Ghate, H.V. and Ghate, V.S. 1995. First record of the
alligator weed,
Alternanthera philoxeroides
(Mart.) Griseb. from
Pune, Maharashtra.
J.
Bombay Nat. History Soc., 92(1):141-143.
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