Ambrosia trifida L.: Giant ragweed

Abstract

Ambrosia trifida L. (AMBTR, fam. Asteraceae/Compositae) is native to North America. It was introduced accidentally to Europe at the end of the 19th century, with contaminated animal feed and seeds for planting. Today A. trifida is present in ruderal and agricultural habitats of many European countries (France, Italy, Germany, Russia, Spain, Romania, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Serbia, Bulgaria, etc.). Giant ragweed was detected for the first time in 1981 in Serbia (site Čoka). Over the following period it disappeared from this site, but was recorded again in 2006 in another site (central Bačka: Despotovo, Kucura, Savino Selo, Ravno Selo, Ruski Krstur). Currently in Serbia it has the status of an alien naturalized weed species. This summer annual plant can grow up to 6 m in height and exhibits a high degree of morphological and reproductive plasticity in response to encroachment by neighboring plants. It is present in disturbed habitats, such as agriculture fields, where it plays the role of the dominant species throughout the entire growing season. In most cases, leaves are opposite and always simple and generally have 3 distinct lobes but can also have as many as 5. It is a diploid (2n = 24), meso-hygrophilic species, preferring wet habitatse and can tolerate a wide variety of soil types. Also, this is a monoecious plant, where male and female flowers are separated on the same individual. A. trifida can hybridise with A. artemisiifolia (A. x helenae Rouleau, with 2n= 27 and 2n= 33), but this hybrid has been described as sterile. Compared to other summer annual species, A. trifida is among the first to emerge in early spring, at optimal temperatures from 10-24°C. Under optimal environmental conditions, giant ragweed produces around 1,800 (max 5,100) seeds plant-1. It flowers and bears fruit from July to September (October).The pollen of this species has allergenic potential. Additionally, in the USA and Canada giant ragweed populations have developed resistance to acetolactate synthase inhibitor herbicides and glyphosate. Giant ragweed can be a problematic weed in row crops (corn, soybean, sunflower, sugerbeet) and vegetables. In A. trifida the control measures should prevent further spread, and existing populations should be controlled by integrated weed management practices. Furthermore, A. trifida has a relatively low fecundity, a transient soil seedbank and a high percentage of non-viable or low-survivorship seeds, which are features that may have constrained its establishment and spread in the current environmental conditions in Serbia.