Invasion at a cost: Socioeconomic and agronomic effects of parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus) on farming communities in southern Oman

This study assesses its agronomic and socioeconomic impacts using field surveys and a stratified household survey of 40 farms conducted between June and August 2022. Data were analyzed using partial least-squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to examine the relationships between farmer characteristics, infestation levels, weed management practices, and farm revenue.

Results indicate that while most farmers are aware of P. hysterophorus, limited recognition at early growth stages delays control and increases management costs. Education (β = 1.009, P = 0.06), cultivated area (β = 1.033, P = 0.003), and chemical control expenditures (β = 0.295, P = 0.05) were positively associated with gross revenue, whereas age had a negative effect (β = -0.762, P = 0.08). Infestation significantly increased labor-intensive weeding costs (β = 2.072, P = 0.07) but reduced chemical use (β = -1.303, P = 0.032), indicating substitution toward manual control.