Invasive plants are among the greatest threats to our landscape as they displace native species and reduce community diversity. Their removal is often complicated, expensive and sometimes harmful to nature. A team of Czech scientists has now come up with a surprising solution – to use the power of nature against the invaders themselves. A study published in the prestigious Journal of Applied Ecology shows that the native hemiparasitic field cow-wheat (Melampyrum arvense) can effectively weaken invasive species without the use of chemicals, achieving long-lasting results.
Invasive plants – plant aliens in our landscape
Invasive plants are non-native species that have been introduced to our country through human activity and are now spreading uncontrollably, encroaching natural and cultural habitats. Thus, they displace native species, reduce biodiversity, cause allergies, harm animals and reduce crop yields.
Removal of such species, using chemical herbicides or drastic measures such as bulldozing the soil surface, ploughing or frequent mowing, is difficult and expensive, and often harmful to the remaining native biota.
However, scientists in the Czech Republic are now testing a new environmentally friendly method based on biological control, which uses living organisms that naturally limit their 'enemies'.
This time, instead of parasitic wasps or nematodes, which are commonly used in greenhouses, the researchers are focusing on hemiparasitic native plants to help fight invasive species.
Hemiparasitic plants, such as common field cow-wheat (Melampyrum arvense), attach themselves to the roots of other plants, extracting water and nutrients and thus weakening the host. In the case of invasive species, this would be highly desirable.
A team of scientists tested whether field cow- wheat could limit the spread of two invasive plants causing major problems in the Czech Republic: giant goldenrod (Solidago gigantea) and panicled aster (Symphyotrichum lanceolatum).
How the research was conducted
Three types of experimental plot were created at different locations, including:
For four years, the scientists monitored how the vegetation changed.
Just three years after sowing field cow- wheat, dominance of invasive species had decreased from 80–90% to just 8–12%, with underground biomass decreasing by over 80%.
The most effective method proved to be the combination of mowing and sowing field cow -wheat, especially in giant goldenrod biocontrol. In comparison, mowing alone was only partially effective.
At the same time, other plant species, mainly native, began to reappear in the test area, although the original meadow communities have yet to be restored.
The results show that using field cow- wheat would be a cheaper and more ecological alternative to chemical sprays.
This environmentally friendly and effective method could prove to be a valuable tool for suppressing invasive species and restoring the degraded grasslands. grass meadows.
“Our results show that field cow- wheat can play an important role in ecological landscape management, acting as a natural, gentle, yet surprisingly effective, helper”, says lead author Kateřina Knotková.
Link to the article (open access).
Published in the Journal of Applied Ecology, October 16, 2025.
Authors: Kateřina Knotková, Tamara Těšitelová, Adam Knotek, Irena Axmanová, Kryštof Chytrý, Helena Chytrá, Zuzana Plesková, Zdenka Preislerová, Jakub Těšitel.
As part of its retreat, the Learned Society of the Czech Republic, in cooperation with our Department of Experimental Biology at the Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, organized two events for the general public.
DTPA invites you to a public lecture marking the centenary of quantum mechanics by Subhroneel Chakrabarti. The lecture will take place on December 3rd at 6 p.m. in lecture room F1.
