<div>The world&rsquo;s problematic perennial weed Mikania micrantha hampers in crop production and causes enormous losses due to its interference. Management of M. micrantha by mechanical and chemical methods has not met with any reasonable success. So, it has become a target for classical biological control. Numerous natural indigenous plant species, fungi and insects were tried as bio-control agents for effective control of M. micrantha. However, along with bio-control, appropriate mechanical, chemical and cultural methods are required to be integrated for controlling it. Thus, integrated management approaches for control of M. micrantha should be evolved against this invasive weed in long run.</div>

Management Options of Mikania micrantha: A Review

<div>Mikania micrantha is an economically damaging invasive weed, which is widely naturalized in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. This weed has reported yield losses in various cash crops and plantation crops in South East Asia including India. M. micrantha was found to change the soil microbial communities (bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes) as well as the soil chemical properties. It enhances a significant increase in aerobic bacteria but decreases in anaerobic bacteria due to which infested soil were free from other weeds. Similarly, in soil chemical characteristics significant increases in pH, total N and P were observed and a decrease in soil organic matter where M. micrantha is prevalent. It has allelopathic properties which affect neighbouring crops, weeds, insects and pathogens. This weed produces allelochemicals (phenolics, flavonoids, alkaloids and terpenes) that may be released by volatilization and decomposition of plant debris. It was also found that the aqueous leaf extract of invasive weed M. micrantha inhibited seed germination and seedling growth of various cereals, vegetables, and other plants. A similar result was found in test crops but there was no affected case found in the greenhouse experiment. This review will help the researchers and scientists in understanding the harmful effect of this invasive weed.</div>

​Harmful Effect of the Invasive Weed Mikania micrantha with Special Reference to India: A Review

Invasive alien weeds are non-native organisms that cause potential harm to the environment, economics and human health. &nbsp;Its ability to outcompete native species for space, water, nutrients, and other essential resources, adaptability to a variety of environmental conditions, absence of natural predators and parasites and prolific seed producing characteristics, once established it is very difficult to control or eliminate. Eradication through utilization is the present concept of management of invasive alien weeds. Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms, Salvinia molesta D.S. Mitchell, Parthenium hysterophorus L., Mikania micrantha Kunth, Chromolaena odorata (L.), Mimosa invisa Mart. Ex Colla and Lantana camara L. are the major invasive alien weeds of Kerala. The literature about the bio-utilization of these major invasive alien weeds is reviewed in this paper.

Management Options of Mikania micrantha: A Review

​Harmful Effect of the Invasive Weed Mikania micrantha with Special Reference to India: A Review

Invasive alien weeds as bio-resource: A review

Harmful Effect of the Invasive Weed Mikania micrantha with Special Reference to India: A Review