Impact and status of invasive alien plant species (IAPS), Nicotiana glauca, in Eastern and Southern Zones of Tigray regional state, Ethiopia

Biological invasion is a form of biological pollution that is probably more disastrous than the chemical pollution which is considered as the second greatest global threat to biodiversity after habitat destruction.They are more and more recognized as a key problem of conservation of biological diversity. Nicotiana glaucais one of IAPS that poses a threat to biodiversity by competing with native species for resources and displacing native plants. In Ethiopia its coverage is increasing from time to time. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess the impacts, routes of entry, way of spread, trends, status, distribution and management practices of Nicotiana glaucain selected districts of Eastern and Southern Zones of Tigray Region. Accordingly, an assessment was carried out in Embalaje and Hawuzen districts. All respondents (100%) agreed about the invasiveness of Nicotiana glauca.Majority of the respondents (96.6%) agreed that the level of its invasion has been increasing from time to time.Majority of the respondents (61.7%) reported that Nicotiana glaucahas been causing different damage to the community such as minimize the growth of other plants, expand and compete to agricultural and communal land, toxicity and death of livestock and also human. Researcher’s personal observation and results of these studies revealed that Nicotiana glaucacovers most of communal lands, grazing fields and road side of the study areas. Therefore, all concerned bodies should actively share their effort to tackle the biodiversity loss by this dangerous Invasive Alien Plant Species.