Systematic review of the uses of Cortaderia selloana (Poaceae), an invasive plant

Background and Aims: Cortaderia selloana, commonly known as Pampas Grass, manifests as an invasive plant across numerous countries with predominant studies focused on its control measures (physical, biological, and chemical approaches). Native to South America, this perennial tussock grass negatively impacts economic, environmental, and human health. This study aims to explore the diverse uses of Cortaderia selloana in geographical, cultural and ecological contexts, to provide insights into its applications, and to contribute to socio-economic and ecological understanding. Methods: This study comprises a systematic literature review based on the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The search was conducted in EBSCOhost, ScienceDirect and Web of Science using the search question “("Cortaderia selloana") AND ("use" OR "purpose") NOT (“control”)”. Two researchers independently reviewed the titles and abstracts, applying predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria and extracting data on various aspects covered in the selected studies. Key results: A total of 88 articles were retrieved of which 16 were included in this systematic review. This study described diverse applications attributed to Cortaderia selloana, including wastewater treatment, composite synthesis, traditional medicine, bioremediation, biorefining, product development in the automobile industry and decoration. The utilization of this invasive species demonstrated socio-economic and environmental benefits, providing a novel perspective on transforming something harmful into a resource with various applications. Furthermore, the necessity for more research is emphasized, to enhance understanding of known applications and explore new potential uses. This study's main limitation is that it only includes peer-reviewed articles from selected databases. Conclusions: This research provides valuable insights into the diverse uses of Cortaderia selloana across geographical, cultural, and ecological contexts. These findings underscore the importance of considering both the beneficial applications and the challenges posed by this invasive species in order to inform balanced and sustainable management practices.