Common Name: silverleaf nightshade, white horse nettle, tomato weed
Silverleaf nightshade is primarily a weed of agriculture and cropping. The weed’s extensive root system enables the plant to draw moisture and nutrients from a large volume of soil and compete effectively against other species. Although it infests broad areas, the infestations tend to be populated as discrete patches. Infestation is aided by cultivation. Silverleaf nightshade is a direct competitor to summer growing crops and pastures.
The plant reduces the production of winter crops, such as cereals, because of the depletion of nutrients and moisture. The weed does not severely affect orchards or vineyards but competes with cover crops grown in these situations. The plant’s spiny leaves and coarse stems may lower the quality of hay taken from infested areas, resulting in contaminated product which may be rejected for sale. All parts of the plant’s fruit, especially when the fruit is either green or ripe, are toxic to animals. Silverleaf Nightshade is one of the most difficult weeds to manage . The value of land infested with this plant is reduced, due to the weed’s persistence and its potential impact on agricultural production. The weed also has allelopathic effects which have been demonstrated in cotton.
Article: wra7676 (permalink) Date: 7 February 2013; 1:49:08 PM AEDT