Growth disturbance of extracts from several crops straw (residue) on Ageratina adenophora and biological-control implications in hazardous weed invasion for eco-restoration

•Biological materials from agricultural waste used for invasive weed control.•Crops straw resources utilization can be extended.

Laboratory biological simulation experiment was conducted to investigate growth disturbance of high, moderate, low concentration of aqueous extracts (i.e. the original extracts with a solid–liquid ratio of 1:40 g mL−1 and its 5 times diluents and 25 times diluents) from several crops straw (residue) on Ageratina adenophora, a worldwide notorious invasive weed. The results showed: (a) aqueous extracts from several crops straw (residue) brought about different impacts on the single index for germination and growth of A. adenophora, e.g., high concentration of aqueous extracts from Brassica oleracea waste leaves showed a strong inhibition against the germination rate (GR) and germination index (GI) of A. adenophora, while high concentration of aqueous extracts from Vicia cracca straw showed a strong inhibition against radicle length (RL) and hypocotyl length (HL) of A. adenophora; (b) high concentration of aqueous extracts from B. oleracea waste leaves and high, moderate and low concentration of aqueous extracts from Oryza sativa straw and Triticum aestivum straw showed rather strong synthetic effects (inhibition) on GR and GI of A. adenophora, which could be chosen for the control over the seeds germination of A. adenophora; (c) high and moderate concentrations of aqueous extracts from V. cracca straw, high concentration of aqueous extracts from B. campestris waste leaves, and moderate and low concentrations of aqueous extracts from O. sativa straw and T. aestivum straw showed rather strong synthetic effects (inhibition) on RL and HL of A. adenophora, which could be selected as ideal materials for the control over the seedlings growth of A. adenophora; and (d) high concentrations of aqueous extracts from V. cracca straw, B. oleracea waste leaves and B. campestris waste leaves, and high, moderate and low concentrations of aqueous extracts from O. sativa straw and T. aestivum straw showed rather strong synthetic effects (inhibition) on GR, GI, RL and HL of A. adenophora, which could be selected as ideal materials for the control over the seeds germination and seedlings growth of A. adenophora. Thus, this study would provide a theoretic guidance and technical support for the resources utilization of crops straw (residue) and the prevention and control over invasive weeds as well.