Poisonous invasion: What is the ‘devil’s trumpet’ harming crops in Iraq?
Summary
Iraq’s government warns that the poisonous datura plant, also called devil’s trumpet, is spreading quickly and harming crops. This plant contains toxic chemicals that can affect people, animals, and plants, although it has been used in medicine for centuries. Scientists are surprised at how fast it adapts and grows in new places like Iraq.Key Facts
- The Iraqi Ministry of the Interior alerted farmers about an invasion of the datura plant.
- Datura, also known as jimsonweed or thorn apple, has white or purple trumpet-shaped flowers and green prickly fruit.
- The plant contains toxic chemicals affecting the nervous system of humans, animals, and plants.
- Despite being poisonous, datura produces important medicinal chemicals used in eye treatments and motion sickness medicines.
- The plant originally comes from Central America and spread worldwide after European explorers brought it to new lands.
- Scientists found datura can live in many climates, including cold and warm places, which is unusual for invasive plants.
- In Iraq, the plant thrives in nitrogen-rich soil near rivers and the hot, semi-dry weather.
- Datura can quickly adapt to new environments, helped by less farming activity caused by Iraq’s conflicts.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.