Asclepias syriaca A NEW SEGETAL SPECIES IN ROMANIA

The purpose of this study was to report the presence of Asclepias syriaca in agroecosystems in Romania. The species Asclepias syriaca L. is part of the Apocynaceae or Asclepiadaceae family, since 2018, it has been observed in corn culture, in western part of Romania. The study was conducted in 2019-2021, in eight counties (Alba, Arad, Caras-Severin, Mures, Sibiu, Satu-Mare, Sibiu, Timis) in May-August. The species Asclepias syriaca was present in seven counties (Alba, Arad, Mures, Sibiu, Satu-Mare, Sibiu, Timis), both in the plain areas (77 m altitude) and in the hills area (412 m altitude). The study carried out in Romania showed that the species is present in the agroecosystems of: corn, alfalfa, sunflower, wheat, soybean. Up to date, there are no studies in Europe that indicate the presence of Asclepias syriaca in the sunflower agroecosystem. We consider that this species, which is classified by EPPO as an invasive species for Europe, will become a weed problem for Romanian crops, due to its strong competitive capacity, due to the rhizomatic root system and the plant's property to produce allelopathic substances.