State and federally regulated weeds pose significant challenges to agricultural economies worldwide, impacting crop yields, production costs, and overall farm profitability. Some estimates have their economic impact upwards of $30 billion dollars annually. Regulated plants can encroach upon public and private property, and cultural and recreational areas, which not only diminishes their aesthetic appeal and usability, but also displaces other native plants and animals. State and federal regulatory agencies operate within a legal framework for setting rules that allow for the control of regulated plants. Regulatory rules apply measures that help preserve these public and private spaces by addressing infestations of noxious plants. Management strategies of active infestations can range from controlling future or current spread to full on eradication. While eradication of a noxious plant may be the gold standard to strive for, it is also the most time consuming and costliest strategy. Often, two commonly employed solutions, aside from eradication, are; either managing or controlling an infestation. Managing is where the infestation isn’t increasing in geographic area. The periphery is fought to limit further spread. Controlling an infestation goes beyond managing, where a push is made to reduce the geographic area and steers the infested area toward an eradication track. The more stringent (eradication) a strategy becomes, the higher the cost and the longer it will take. The classic invasion curve describes this situation perfectly where the longer an infestation goes before it is identified, the more expensive and longer it will take to eradicate, if at all. Chemical applications, IPM and cultural control mechanisms are used to fight active infestations. Other tools in the regulatory tool bag include inspection of agricultural commodities and issuance of phytosanitary certificates, nursery inspections and certification, active survey and the use of quarantines and limited research permits. North Carolina has multiple active projects working towards eradication and control. Witchweed (Striga asiatica) populations have been present in NC and SC since its introduction in 1955. Witchweed, if left unchecked, has the potential to devastate the midwestern corn belt, which was the primary reason for its regulation. At that time North Carolina had approximately 400,000 infested acres. Today we have 2,000 infested acres. Other noxious weeds on the eradication path are wooly frogsmouth (Philydrum lanuginosum) and yellow floating heart (Nymphoides peltata). Both species have been aggressively treated in their limited distribution within the state.
