Synonymes : Convolvulus chinensis Ker Gawl., Convolvulus sagittifolius (Fischer) Liou & Ling
Common name : Bindweed, field bind weed
Common name in Hindi : Harinkhuri
Common name in Punjabi : Pohi
Common name in Urdu : Lehli, wanvehri, baily, krari
Bangla English Hindi Urdu
Diagnostic characters
Biology
Ecology and distribution
Nuisance
Weed control
Botany
Uses/Remark
References
Bindweed is a prostrate or climbing perennial herb. It has weak stem but powerful root system that may covers an area 6 m diameter and extends to a depth of 9 m. The leaves are simple, alternate and petiolate, arrow-shaped with pointed lobes at the base. Flowers are produced singly or in cluster of 2 to 3, which are of pink colour with white streaked petals. The root system is responsible for its survival under dry land conditions. Due to weak stem it twines around the wheat plants. In southern India, the root is used as a purgative.
Bindweed reproduces by seeds and by sending up new shoots from a deep and extensive underground root system. Seeds are dispersed mainly by water, by birds over thousands of kilometres, by movement with seed stocks in commerce and by clinging to mud on farm vehicles. The seeds of C. arvensis may remain viable in the soil up to 50 years and around 144 hours in the stomachs of some migrating birds.
It is generally distributed over Africa and South America, South East Asia and the Pacific Islands. Although the plant can be found in waste areas, it can also grow in all kinds of cultivated lands. It prospers in dry or moderately moist soils and because of its deep root system can survive long periods of stress. It grows best on rich, fertile soils but persists on poor and gravely soils as well.
This species is considered as one of the most harmful weeds which may lead to heavy losses in crop yield. Seeds of C. arvensis remain in the soil for long periods, germinating sporadically. Otherwise it has a large reserve of root material, some of which survives at great depth, being the second reason for its tenacious hold on an area. When moisture stress is a limiting factor C. arvensis can compete successfully with practically all crop plants. In India, it has been particularly reported as a serious weed of rice, potatoes, vegetables and tea. In Pakistan it is known from wheat, maize and sugarcane crops.
- Cultural
C. arvensis is extremely difficult to eradicate once it has colonized an area. Several studies suggest that selected crops can be manipulated by proper agricultural practices in such a way that competition for light becomes the limiting factor in the development of C. arvensis. Tillage may influence as a gradual and continuous reduction in total available carbohydrates, a decrease in root quantity, and eventually in the death of the weed plants. A combination of cultivation, crop rotation and herbicides could give good results.
- Chemical
2_4-D alone or in combination with cultivation in 3 years in all rotation could reduce the shoots of this weed. It has been shown that continued use of the same or similar types of herbicides may remove several species of weeds, whereupon C. arvensis can become very serious for lack of competition. Post application of carfentrazone at 25 g/ha.
In wheat crop of Pakistan, post-emergence (i.e.: 40-45 days after the full emergence of this weed) application of Aim 40 DF and Buctril M-40 EC.
Habit
Creeping or twining perennial herb.
Roots
Very deep taproot 0.5 to 3 m or more long.
Stem
Slender, smooth to hairy, 1 to 3 m long, twining or spreading over the soil surface. The rhizomes are cordlike and fleshy, which permeate the soil in all directions. Its shoot buds reach the surface and establish new crowns.
Leaves
Alternate, simple, long-petiolated, margins entire, ovate-oblong, narrowing gradually upward to the rounded or blunt tip, the base squarish or the lobes pointing downward or concavely toward the stalk (sagittate), smooth to slightly hairy, up to 6cm long and 3cm wide.
Inflorescence
Flowers usually borne singly in the axils of the leaves; flower stalk one-to four-flowered, slender, up to 6cm or longer, with two bracts 1 to 2.5cm below the flower; sepals bell-shaped, 3mm long, oblong, blunt; corolla funnel-shaped, white or pinkish, sometimes purplish or reddish stripes running from base to margin on the outside, 1.5 to 3cm wide and long; stamens five, attached to the corolla; pistil compound with two threadlike stigmas.
Fruit
Capsule ovate, two- to four-seeded.
Seeds
Three-angled, ovoid, dull, dark brownish gray to black, coarsely roughened, 3 to 5mm long. Flat on one or two sides with the other side rounded, the basal scar rough with reddish depression at lower pointed end.
- Chhokar R. S., Chauhan D. S., Sharma R. K., Singh R. K. and Singh R. P. 2002. Major weeds of wheat and their management. Bulletin No. 13. Directorate of Wheat Research. Haryana, India.
- Holm L. G., Plucknett D. L., Pancho J. V., Herberger J. P. 1991. The world’s worst weeds. Distribution and Biology. East-West Center by the University Press. Hawaii.
- Nayyar M. M., Ashiq M. and Ahmad J. 2001. Manual on Punjab weeds (Part I). Directorate of Agronomy. Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad Pakistan.
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