Study on the weed seed bank of Parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus) weed in Batang Kali, Selangor.

Invasive alien weed, Parthenium hysterophorus has started to spread in Malaysia. At first this weed was found in Batang Kali, Selangor, but now it is found to other states like Kedah, Negeri Sembilan, Johor and Perak. This invasion make agriculture officers and Malaysian government to worry and concern. The level of seriousness of parthenium weed can be predicted from the condition of weed seed bank in the infested areas. Therefore, a research was conducted to study on weed seed bank of parthenium weed at Ulu Yam Baru, Batang Kali. The objective was to examine the weed seed density at four different soil depths at five locations of Batang Kali, Selangor. The soil samples were collected from different depths of the sampling areas. The seeds were extracted by using sieve shaker at Universiti Malaysia Kelantan laboratory, Jeli Campus. On an average 3.12 million seeds per hectare was found at soil depth, 0 — 5cm, 0.53 million seeds per hectare at 5 — 10cm and 0.30 million seeds per hectare at 10 — 15cm depth. No seed was found at the depth of 15 — 20cm. The seeds varied in different locations as well. The highest number of parthenium weed seeds (1.31 million seeds per hectare) were recorded from waste removal place near a vegetable farm. The weed seed bank of parthenium at Ulu Yam Baru, Batang Kali is at critical level.