Study of medicinal and allelopathic effect of different weeds of Odisha, India

Abstract

The term "allelopathy" refers to a biological process in which one organism produces biochemicals that impact another organism's growth, survival, and reproduction. Weeds pose a considerable risk to agricultural output because they prevent or stunt crop growth and development, resulting in substantial yield losses. Here, we examine the wide range of weeds in farming and other non-forested areas of Odisha's coastal districts. As many as 63 weed species, representing 31 families, were discovered here. The Asteraceae family has the most weed species (11), followed by the Euphorbiaceae family (9 species) and the Poaceae family (6 species). Amaranthaceae and Cucurbitaceae are also commonly found in the area of study. The data combing from the field with those from academic studies, this study improved our understanding of weeds. The paper also discusses the myriad ways natives have found to put weeds to good use. Many common weeds in the study area have long histories of use as a primary source of basic medical care. Most skin ailments, diarrhoea, jaundice, piles, and urinary problems treated with ethnomedicinal weeds are caused by parasites. Traditional cultures often used weeds in various ways, including food, animal feed, and medicine. Some plants have allelopathic impact in addition to their ethnomedical benefits. The authors of this paper present a complete and up-to-date inventory of the weed species detected in Odisha's coastal districts. It will be put to work protecting the region's unique plant and animal life. The allelopathic impacts on crops and the ethnobotanical uses of weeds have been uncovered through research.