As Japanese knotweed continues to grow, a Cornell professor is trying to find a way to stop it.
The weed spreads quickly and is incredibly difficult to kill with no native predators.
Dr. Bernd Blossey is attempting to find some sort of biological control when it comes to the weed.
The knotweed is spreading across the United States at a rapid pace and first appeared in the 1800s. Blossey plans to introduce a bug native to the weeds home in Asia where it has not existed since its arrival to the U.S.
Blossey believes this is the last hope in ever stopping the weeds spread.
Knotweed grows up to ten feet in one season and takes over spaces in waterways before dying. Once it dies off it has left the ground uninhabitable by other species. Due to its growth near water, it has a negative impact on water ecosystems and their fish.
The removal is also incredibly expensive, costing the UK around $57 million per year to remove.
If researchers manage to solve this issue on a local level, they may solve a global issue.
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