Invasive

alienspecies-
prosopis juliflora
es201216027
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Scientific name: Prosopis juliflora Tamil name :seemai karuvel

(சீமைக்கருவேலை), 

Common names:South West Thorn,Mesquite,Algaroba,Velvet mesquite

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Effects
 Introduction to
IAS Possible ways of
 Place of orgin& elimination
 cause of References
introduction
 What is invasive alien species???? 4

INVASIVE:Tends to expand and modify ecosystem which its has been

introduced.

ALIEN:A Species that has been intentionally or unintentionally

introduced to alien (different)location

Invasive Alien Species (IAS) are any species that are not
native to an area but which are able to establish
themselves and often spread quickly, causing
environmental or economic damage.
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orgin
Evergreen shrub or small tree in the family of
Fabaceae ,native to
MEXICO
SOUTH AMERICA
CARIBBEAN
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1. Prosopis first introduced into the Indian sub-continent to Sindh province (Pakistan) in
1877 from South America, and later on it was introduced into many dry regions of India
(Muthana and Arora, 1983).
2. Reddy (1978) stated that the first introduction of P. juliflora into India took place in
1877, from Jamaica these seeds were first sown in various arid areas around
Kamalapuram, in the Cuddapah District of Andhra Pradesh (old Madras Presidency) and
the plant was named as “the exotic lady of South America”.
3. Gupta and Blara (1972) reported that Prosopis juliflora was introduced in India
in 1857 from Mexico.
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In the present state of Rajasthan, it was first introduced in Jodhpur in 1913 where the ruler of the
then state of Jodhpur named it “Royal Plant” in 1940 because of its excellent
growth rate and evergreen nature in all environmental condition. (Harsh et al., 1996).

In Tamilnadu Shri Kamaraj Nadar (Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in 1959) recommended plantation
of P. juliflora as a hedge plant to overcome fuel shortage, so Chief Minister made arrangements for
aerial seeding of the plant from a helicopter in Ramanathapuram district . As a result, P. juliflora also
called Seemai Karuvalam or Kamarajar Karuvelam in tamil, was introduced.
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Based on these reports, it can be stated that
Prosopis juliflora was introduced in India
somewhere during 1870s to restore degrade lands
and the shortage of fuel wood.
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CAUSE OF
INVASIVENESS
 Extremely drought resistant 10

Can grow in wide range of conditions

From sand dunes to clay
saline to alkaline soils
Areas below 200 to more than 1500m above sea level
50 to 1500 mm mean annual rain fall
Withstand high temperature as 50c(air) and 70
c(soil)
Effective dispersal mechanism
Highly allelopathic in nature,
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effects
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Reduce the water Destroy soil Produce high

level quickly nutrients amouunt of co2

Affects cattles which

Absorb humidity in eats the product of Affects the natural
the air these tree ecosystems
Possible ways of elimation:

mechanical
chemical
biological
MECHANICAL METHOD

Physical feeling, uprooting and burning is employed .

PRing –barking is considered as affective for woody invaders that do not coppice
Disadvantage:sprouting after cutting
grazing not traget species
cost intensive
However uprooting the plant 10m below the ground would be effective
CHEMICAL METHOD

Involve the judicious use of approved herbicides

P
Cutting the stem at ground level and spraying or painting the freshly cut stumps with
suitable herbicide
Herbicides like Round up ,2,4-D Glenside Kerosene and Diesel Oil are used
Better than manual and mechanical clearing activities
BIOLOGICAL METHOD

PIntroductionof host specific organisms are generally insects ,mites or

pathogens(mainly fungi).
Predators or pathogens are used to control the prosopis reproduction.
It doesn’t not eradicate alien plant invaders but rather weakens it.
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references
https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/43942
http://
flora-peninsula-indica.ces.iisc.ac.in/herbsheet.php
?id=6045&cat=7
http://www.fao.org/3/CA0163EN/ca0163en.pdf
https://officinaagricolasa.it/viewtopic/prosopis-
common-name-eb2b27
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THANK YOU