Lantana camara L.: Transforming an Invasive Species into a Multifunctional Green Resource

Invasive alien species are not considered a healthy component for the natural biodiversity of any invaded area. Lantana camara L. (Family-Verbenaceae); an ornamental shrub and native of America, is included in the category of Global invasive species. İts negative socio-ecological impacts have been observed in many parts of the world. However, there is still a need for providing sustainable solutions to curb the negative impact of Lantana, and therefore, the present review is undertaken to know about the currently available eco-friendly alternatives for better management of Lantana weed. For this purpose, an extensive literature search was carried out using various keywords related to the objective of the study on the online available scientific databases, for example, Scopus, PubMed, Springer, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Research Gate, etc. The relevant information thus retrieved is presented in this review article. This paper highlights the eco-friendly and economic utility of Lantana weed as a prospective sustainable green bioresource. Lantana has shown potential in form of production of bioethanol & biogas, bio-briquettes, particle boards, natural eco-friendly dyes from flowers, green synthesis of nanoparticles, green manure contributing to soil fertility, raw material for paper manufacture, phytoremediation of heavy metal polluted sites, biofumigant against pests of stored grains, biocontrol agent against biological organisms and as a bioherbicide etc. in many of the studies carried out in different regions of the world. Beyond industrial uses, local communities are also utilizing Lantana bushes for making sturdy furniture, toys, bee-keeping boxes, fish-catchers, hangers, domestic articles, etc. These diverse applications highlight its potential to transform from an ecological threat into a valuable green resource. Thus, the menace of this invasive weed could be better managed by leveraging this potential, which can not only support sustainable development goals but also offer additional income-generating opportunities for local communities.