Black nightshade

Scientific name: Solanum nigrum
Synonyms: Common nightshade, Deadly nightshade, Garden nightshade, Wonderberry



Photo by Jewel Kinilitan-Bissdorf

Habitat

Cultivated and disturbed areas with dry and moist soils

Affected crops

Crops that belong to the nightshade family (tomato, eggplant, pepper, potato), beans, corn, and other agricultural crops

Distribution

Worldwide

Description

The stem is erect and smooth. The leaves are egg-shaped with wavy margins. The flowers are white to pale-blue and arranged in clusters. The berries are round, green when young and turn black when ripe, hence the name. The green berries are poisonous. A nightshade plant can produce as much as 5,000 seeds.

Effects and impacts

Black nightshade is an alternate host of pests found on corn, tomato, eggplant, pepper, potato, legumes, and other crops. Its seeds are easily mixed with beans during harvest. The juice of the ruptured seeds stains and causes the soil to stick on the harvested crop. It also disrupts the harvest operation and lowers the quality of the produce.

The plant is eaten as a vegetable and for its ripe fruits. It has medicinal properties, with the leaves, stems and roots used as a poultice on open wounds, boils, and sores.

Studies show that the Black nightshade weeds become resistant to Paraquat on some vegetable fields in Malaysia and also resistant to Atrazine when infesting some corn fields in Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, Switzerland, and UK; cropland in France; and orchards in Poland (Weed Science, 2005).

Methods of control

1. Thorough land preparation by plowing and harrowing
2. Regular field monitoring
3. Hand weeding at the early stage of growth
4. Practice crop rotation

External links

• Iowa University. Controlling turf weeds with a natural product. http://www.gluten.iastate.edu/pdf/control.pdf
• Weed Science. Herbicide resistant black nightshade globally. http://www.weedscience.org/Summary/USpeciesCountry.asp?lstWeedID=162&FmCommonName=Go

References

• Bingaman, B.; Christians, N. (1995): Greenhouse screening of corn gluten meal as a natural control product for broadleaf and grass weeds. Hortscience 30 (6): pp. 1256-1259.
• Moody, K.; Munroe, C.; Lubigan, R.; Paller , E. (1984): Major weeds of the Philippines. University of the Philippines, Los Baños. Laguna, Philippines.
• Webber, C. III; Shrefler, J. (2005): Corn gluten meal application methods for weed control. Proceedings of the 24th Annual Horticulture Industries Show. pp. 163-167.