Amaranthus palmeri in the EPPO region
Amaranthus palmeri (Amaranthaceae - EPPO A2 List) is a dioecious summer annual species native to North America. In its native range, it is a weed in agricultural fields and disturbed habitats. It has a high fecundity and a long-lived seed bank, which make management of the species difficult. A new review paper by Matzrafi et al. (2023) summarizes the pertinent information on this species including its biology, distribution, habitats invaded and management methods. The paper provides a morphological comparison of A. palmeri with other Amaranthus species that can be found in the EPPO region.
In 2023/2024 EPPO is developing a PM 9 Standard (National Regulatory Control Systems) which will provide guidance on the control procedures aiming to monitor, contain and eradicate A. palmeri.
Sources
Matzrafi M, Scarabel L, Milani A, Iamonico D, Torra J, Recasens J, Montull JM, Llenes JM, Gazoulis I, Tataridas A, Rubin B, Pardo G, Cirujeda A, Marí AI, Mennan H, Kanatas P, Dogan MN, Beffa R Travlos I (2023) Amaranthus palmeri S. Watson: a new threat to agriculture in Europe and the Mediterranean region. Weed Research. https://doi.org/10.1111/wre.12596