DISTRIBUTION OF INVASIVE WEEDS ON THE TERRITORY OF AP VOJVODINA

Konstantinović Branko, Meseldžija Maja, Samardžić Nataša, Konstantinović Bojan

Faculty of Agriculture, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 8,

21 000 Novi Sad, Serbiaa

INTRODUCTION During the last decade, the study of the spread of invasive weed species on the

territory of AP Vojvodina intensified. Invasive weed species spread in ruderal habitats,

as well as under different crops. They are introduced species from natural habitats in

new ecosystems to which they adjust and suppress already present weed species

(Konstantinović et al., 2011).

Unstable ecosystems, arable land, and ruderal habitats are the primary sites

of infection by invasive weed species that keep spreading to surrounding

ecosystems causing homogenization of the regional flora (Stevanović et al.,

2009). Data on potential dangers caused by weediness of agricultural land, as

well as ruderal sites are obtained by studies of distribution of introduced invasive

weed species on the territory of AP Vojvodina.

MATHERIALS AND METHODS

•Mapping of invasive weed species was carried out on the territory of AP

Vojvodina.

• The studies included the following invasive weed species: Ambrosia

artemisiifolia L., Artemisia vulgaris L., Iva xanthifolia Nutt., Asclepias

syriaca L., Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers., Amaranthus retroflexus L.,

Chenopodium album L., Cuscuta campestris Yunkers., Arctium lappa L.,

Carduus acanthoides L., Conyza canadensis L., Rubus caesius L., Rumex

crispus L. and Urtica dioica L.

• For determination of invasive weeds according to the method of Brauen-

Blanquet (1951).

• Mapping was conducted in 11 municipalities in 18 localities.

• Studied area was 100 m2 in size, and in each locality, there were 10 plots

for inspection.

• Mapping of invasive weed species was carried out by GPS, the data were

then introduced into software program Ambrosia Spot Marker for area of

Novi Sad, while the data for the area of AP Vojvodina were inserted into the

Google Earth program.

During 2011 performed monitoring in the region of AP Vojvodina,

showed that spread of invasive weed species is gaining increasing

importance, due to their expansion to new areas. Processing of data from

the field revealed spread of invasive weed species such as:

o Amaranthus retroflexus L.,

o Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.,

o Arctium lappa L.,

o Artemisia vulgaris L.,

o Asclepias syriaca L.,

o Carduus acanthoides L.,

o Chenopodium album L.,

o Conyza canadensis L.,

o Cuscuta campestris Yunkers.,

o Iva xanthifolia Nutt.,

o Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers.,

o Rubus caesius L.,

o Rumex crispus L. and

o Urtica dioica L.

RESULTS

It was established that the overall coverage of invasive weed

species at studied localities was within the range of 30-95%. The highest

percentage of overall coverage was measured in the municipality of

Sremska Mitrovica (75-95%), followed by Novi Sad, Odžaci, and Kula

(70-95%), while the lowest overall coverage was measured in the

municipalities of Zrenjanin (40-95%) and Šid (30-95%).

The degree of presence of the analyzed invasive weed

species was determined by data processing. The degree of

presence marked V was established for A. artemisiifolia L. in

municipalities Sombor, Odžaci and Novi Sad and A. vulgaris L. in

municipalities Sombor, Odžaci and Šid.

Zrenjanin

Mark IV indicated the

degree of presence for weed

species Artemisia vulgaris L.

(municipalities Kikinda,

Zrenjanin, Vrbas, Kula,

Sremska Mitrovica, Bačka

Palanka and Novi Sad) and

Rumex crispus L.

(municipalities Kikinda, Vrbas,

Sombor, Odžaci, Ruma, Šid and

Novi Sad).

Data processing revealed also the degree of presence

marked I for species A. artemisiifolia L. in municipality Zrenjanin,

Amaranthus retroflexus L. in municipalities Kula, Sombor, Ruma and

Šid, Aclepias syriaca L. in municipalities Kikinda, Vrbas, Kula,

Sremska Mitrovica and Novi Sad, and Cuscuta campestris Yunkers.

that was determined in even 7 municipalities (Kikinda, Sombor,

Odžaci, Sremska Mitrovica, Šid, Bačka Palanka and Novi Sad)

DISCUSSION Invasive weed species that

spread along the Balkan Peninsula are of

great importance for Serbia, and

especially for the territory of AP

Vojvodina. Some sporadic or completely

new weed species have assumed an

increasingly important role in the region

(Konstantinović et al., 2006). The species

Ambrosia artemisiifolia, which first

appeared in the former Yugoslavia for

more than half a century ago (Maly,

1949), today is very common and mostly

distributed invasive weed species

(Konstantinović et al., 2011).

According to Jovanović et al., (2009) A. artemisiifolia is distributed on even

70% of the total territory of Serbia, and the largest damages causes primarily in AP

Vojvodina, around Beograd and in the region of Mačva (Milošević, 2008). In the

period 2006-2007, A. artemisiifolia L. was found on the banks of the river Danube, near

Petrovaradin, Sremski Karlovici and Novi Sad, as well as near Bač, Bačka Palanka,

Begeč, Bogojevo and Futog, in the entire region of Bačka in the central and southern

Banat region (Konstantinović et al., 2008).

Studies conducted in the period 2008-2011, revealed presence of A.

artemisiifolia L. on over 400 ha on the territory of the municipality Novi Sad, at

more than 200 localities and more than 50 plants per m2 (Konstantinović et

al., 2011). In 2008 mapping and control or A. artemisiifolia L. was performed in

AP Vojvodina. Control of A. artemisiifolia L. was conducted on 2500 ha in 42

municipalities, by mechanical or chemical control measures. Monitoring also

showed that retro vegetation occurred.

The highest overall coverage was

established in the South Bačka region

amounting 80-95%, while the degree of

presence is evaluated by V. The lowest

overall coverage was found in the region of

South Banat amounting 30-80%, with the

presence degree I (Konstantinović et al.,

2011). In agricultural habitats, A.

artemisiifolia was found mostly in crops of

maize, soybean, sunflower and sugar beet,

as well as in stubbles.

Asclepias syriaca L. is

allochthonous invasive weed species

originating from North America, and it

was introduced into Europe at the

beginning of the nineteenth century. It

is present in many European

countries (Stanković-Kalezić et al.,

2008). This species invades soils due

to insufficient cultivation and

herbicide use, fertilizers and irrigation

measures (Cramer and Burnside,

1981). On the territory of AP

Vojvodina, Asclepias syriaca L. is

present in the wider area of Bačka,

north part of Banat, especially in

wider area of Subotica- Horgoš

sands (Dolmagić, 2010).

Iva xanthifolia Nutt. is new

invasive weed species on the territory of

AP Vojvodina, it spread during sixties of

the last century on the territory of AP

Vojvodina and it is now a very strong

allergen that expands 5-10 times faster

than A. artemisiifolia L. During 2002-

2006, the study of this weed species was

conducted on the territory of AP

Vojvodina, and its presence was

registered on ruderal sites, but also in

maize, sugar beet, sunflower and

soybean crops. The studies showed that

it is the most widespread in the regions

of Srem and Bačka, and somewhat less

in Banat (Marisavljević et al., 2007).

Data obtained by the

study of invasive weed

species on the territory of

Novi Sad and AP Vojvodina

suggest that the named weed

species keep spreading very

fast, especially A.

artemisiifolia L., A. syriaca

L., A. vulgaris L.,

I.xanthifolia L. and

R.crispus L.