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🌱 Environment & EcologyUPSC 2018Sustainable Development

Why is a plant called Prosopis juliflora often mentioned in the news?

aIts extract is widely used in cosmetics.
bIt tends to reduce the biodiversity in the area in which it grows.
cIts extract is used in the synthesis of pesticides.
dNone of these
✓ Correct answer: b) It tends to reduce the biodiversity in the area in which it grows.
ExplanationProsopis juliflora, or mesquite, is a leguminous flow- ering plant native to South America.It has become invasive in regions like India, Africa, and the Middle East, where it competes with native species for water and nutrients, threatening local bio- diversity.213

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