List of threatened weed species in terms of IUCN categories of endangerment is presented. This list provides a general insight into problems involved in endangerment of weed flora in the continental part of Croatia. It contains a total of 78 species as follows: 6 of them are extinct, 42 endangered, 12 vulnerable and 18 are rare. Extinct and the majority of threatened weeds are companions of flax crop and cereals. The intensified soil cultivation, an abundant fertilization, seed cleaning and chemical weed control (herbicides) are universally recognized as causes for a decline on floristic diversity in weed communities. The possibilities of preventing further endangerment of weed species and effective manners of conservation are: to promote organic farming and in conventional production to use less fertilization and the field edges not treated with herbicides. The measures of nature conservation include botanical and weed gardens. Botanical gardens with their systematic fields, can make a significant contribution to the weed conservation on the rang of species. In weed gardens weeds grow with belonging crops and on condition of traditional agrotechniques. Further chance is an inclusion of attractive and suitable weed species in the concept of esthetic-paysage planning (e.g. in flower garden beds, making green of rockeries, road verges and etc). Nature, by itself, protects segetal weeds, which, owing to the seed bank and dormancy, are ready to survive in the soil waiting favourable time and space.

list of threatened weeds; extinct weeds; endangered weeds; vulnerable weeds; rare weeds; segetal weeds; continental part of Croatia; effective manners of conservation for weeds

Published by University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb, CROATIA
Sponsored by Ministry Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia