Q. What is 'Salvinia molesta', recently seen in news?
Answer:
Invasive weed
Notes: An exotic host-specific beetle, Cyrtobagus salvinia from Brazil, has eradicated the invasive weed Salvinia molesta from Sarani Reservoir (Satpura Dam) in Betul district, Madhya Pradesh. Located on the Tawa River, a tributary of the Narmada River, this reserve faced issues due to Salvinia molesta, a free-floating aquatic fern native to Brazil, also known as "Water Fern" or "Chinese Jhalaar." This weed also affects the ecology of Kerala, Odisha, Uttarakhand, and Maharashtra.