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Plant Science Today (PST)

Review Articles

Vol. 12 No. sp1 (2025): Recent Advances in Agriculture by Young Minds - II

Lantana camara L.: Biology, ecology and control

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.9506
Submitted
19 May 2025
Published
07-10-2025

Abstract

Lantana camara L., a highly invasive species, has rapidly spread and established itself in many countries, including India, thriving in unattended forests, wastelands and now invading cultivated areas. Aside from forests and fallow places, it has infected most grazing pastures (13.2 million ha) and its control is expected to cost US$70 per hectare in India. Lantana exhibits vigorous growth, high adaptability and allelopathic properties, enabling it to outcompete native flora. It thrives in disturbed habitats and alters ecological succession by becoming the dominant understory
species, which leads to loss of biodiversity and degradation of ecosystem services. The weed proliferation threatens native vegetation. The pastures and rangelands which were earlier utilized for cattle grazing have now turned into bushy forests of Lantana that have no utility for cattle’s, leading to scarcity of fodder. Lantana has a natural tendency to grow more vigorously and invade at faster rates. Therefore, it has become quite a challenge to control this weed. Mechanical, chemical and biological control strategies have been employed, but none has proven fully effective when used in isolation. Mechanical control is labour intensive, chemical methods are costly and harmful, while biological control is hindered by cultivar variation and ecological complexity. Following an integrated approach becomes our last resort by engaging the local public inhabiting the area along with community participation, offering benefits like increased awareness, shared responsibility and sustainable outcomes. The literature indicates that Lantana has more benefits than drawbacks. Therefore, further cost-benefit analysis is needed to make
decisions on its management and elimination.

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