Parthenium Awarness Week-2024, Dr. JAGADISH

Parthenium Awareness Week-2024

1. Dr. JAGADISH Assistant Professor (Agronomy) HREC-Hogalagere

2. To apprise the farmers about the harmful effects of the Parthenium and its management, various ICAR Institutes pan India organized the “Parthenium Awareness Week” from 16th to 22nd August, 2024 A wide range of activities were conducted to spread maximum awareness among staff members, farm and campus workers as well as farm women in different project villages. The scientific and technical staff attended a lecture on "Parthenium weed problem and its management at the global level” Main aim of the Parthenium free campus Why Parthenium Awareness Week (PAW)-2024

3. Objective of Parthenium Awareness Week

4. Kingdom: Plantae Order: Asterales Family: Asteraceae Genus: Parthenium Species: Parthenium   hysterophorus Common Name: Carrot grass, Gajar grass, Congress grass, safed topi Scientific classification of Parthenium

5. The origin of Parthenium is considered to be from Mexico, America, Trinidad and Argentina. After noticeable occurrence of Parthenium in Pune (Maharashtra) in 1956, it has spread like a wild fire throughout India. Initially Parthenium was a problem in waste and vacant land but now it has become a problematic weeds in crops also. In forest, it has become a serious problem in grasslands, particularly in national parks, on which herbivores-carnivores food chain survives. The increase of Parthenium infestation in crop area in recent past is alarming. History of Parthenium

6. Fig.01: Parthenium distribution world wide

7. Fig.01: Parthenium distribution in India

8. Parthenium is an annual herb with a deep tap root and an erect stem that becomes woody with age. As it matures, the plant develops many branches in its top half and may eventually reach a height of 2 m. Its leaves are pale green, deeply lobed and covered with fine soft hairs. Each flower contains four to five black seeds that are wedge-shaped, two millimetres long with two thin, white scales Description of Parthenium weed

9. Parthenium grows luxuriantly in wastelands, public lawns, orchards, forestlands, flood plains, agricultural areas, urban areas, overgrazed pastures, industrial areas, playgrounds, roadsides, railway tracks, and residential plots. Drought and subsequent reduced pasture cover create the ideal situation for the parthenium weed to establish itself. Although parthenium weed is capable of growing in most soil types, it is most dominant in alkaline, clay loam soils. Habitat and distribution of Parthenium

10. Parthenium normally germinates in spring and early summer, produces flowers and seed throughout its life and dies around late autumn. Suitable conditions ( rain, available moisture, mild temperature s). Parthenium can grow and produce flowers at any time of the year. In summer, plants can flower and set seed within four weeks of germination, particularly if stressed. Life cycle of Parthenium

11. Life cycle of Parthenium

12. It mainly spreads through its seeds . The weed has the potential of producing as high as 154,000 seeds/m2 and a single plant can produce about 15000 - 25,000 seeds . The seeds are very light in weight and easily carried or transported by wind, water or through various human activities . Parthenium has the capacity to grow again from the cut or broken parts. Its allelopathic effects coupled with the absence of natural enemies like insects and diseases are two important factors responsible for its rapid spread in India. How Parthenium spreads?

13. Why Parthenium is poison? Parthenium plant contains chemicals, like parthenin , hysterin , hymenin , and ambrosin , and due to the presence of these chemicals, the weed exerts strong allelopathic effects on different crops.

14. Harmful effects of Parthenium

15. The pollen grains, airborne dried plant parts, and roots of parthenium cause various allergies like contact dermatitis, hay fever, asthma, and bronchitis in human beings. The common allergens found in this weed are parthenin , coronopilin , tetraneuris , and ambrosin . Pollens of parthenium cause asthma (allergic bronchitis), especially in children playing outdoors and in adults and old-age persons. Contact of plant with the body causes dermatitis and the spread of the problem all over the body causes great discomfort. 1. Effects on Human Beings

16. 2. Effects on Animals Parthenium weed is toxic to animals causing dermatitis with pronounced skin lesions on various animals including horses and cattles . If eaten, it is responsible for mouth ulcers with excessive salivation. Significant amount (10–50%) of this weed in the diet can kill cattle . In addition, it causes anorexia, pruritus , alopecia, diarrhea, and eye irritation in dogs. It also causes acute illness, when bittermilk and tainted meat from buffaloes, cows and goats, are fed on grass mixed with parthenium . The parthenium extract results in significant reduction of rat WBC count which signifies its immune system weakening ability .

17. 3. Effects on Agricultural Crops Parthenium plant contains chemicals, like parthenin , hysterin , hymenin , and ambrosin , and due to the presence of these chemicals, the weed exerts strong allelopathic effects on different crops. Parthenin has been reported as a germination and radical growth inhibitor in a variety of dicot and monocot plants. The weed affects nodulation in legumes due to inhibition of activity of nitrogen fixing and nitrifying bacteria, namely,   Rhizobium , Actinomycetes, Azotobacter , and   Azospirillum .

18. Parthenium has been reported to be causing a total habitat change in native grasslands, open woodlands, river banks, and flood plains . It is an aggressive colonizer of wasteland, road sides, railway sides, water sources, cultivated fields, and overgrazed pastures 3. Effects on Ecosystem

19. Management of Parthenum

20. It is one of the most effective methods to reduce the seed bank in future. Uprooting should be done during rainy season or in wet soil. Utmost importance should be given to uproot the plants before flowering. Uprooting will not be useful, if done after flowering. 1. Uprooting of Parthenium

21. In many crop fields Parthenium germinate profusely when left as fallow for one season. In such situation, mechanical deep ploughing before flowering is good and economical. The weed will be turned as green manure. 2. Mechanical management

22. Crop rotation: Disrupt the Parthenium life cycle by rotation with non host plant Farmer should be advised to take fast growing crop like sorghum, and Sesbania ( daincha ) to suppress the growth of Parthenium in their crop field 3. Cultural management

23. State and Central government should declare Parthenium as Noxious weed and implement law to held responsible the owner of a vacant field/land/plot. Municipalities in town/cities, transport ministry on road side, railway ministry on railway tracks side, irrigation departments on the bunds of irrigation canals should take appropriate step to control the weed by available methods. 4. Legal management of Parthenium

24. At some places and areas where, Parthenium can not be managed by uprooting due to lack of labours and high cost. Parthenium can be controlled by use of glyphosate (1 to 1.5%) for total vegetation control and by metribuzin (0.3 to 0.5%) or 2,4-D (2-2.5 kg a.i ), if grasses are to be saved. 5. By use of chemicals

25. Generally refers to the detrimental effect of one plant species on seed germination, growth, and reproduction of another plant species. Competitive replacement of parthenium can be achieved by planting plants like   Cassia sericea , C. tora , C. auriculata , Croton bonplandianum , Amaranthus spinosus , Tephrosia purpurea , Hyptis suaveolens , Sida spinosa ,  and  Mirabilis jalapa   A study in India revealed that  Cassia sericea  reduces the accumulation of parthenium by 70% and parthenium population by 52.5%. 6. Allelopathic Control

26. In India, more than 50 insect species have been reported on Parthenium, but success by Mexican beetle, Zygogramma bicolorata ( Coleoptera : Chrysomelidae ), beetle were imported from Mexico to India. After in-depth laboratory and field studies, it was found host specific, which can eat only Parthenium, hence, its’ use was permitted by Government of India. Therefore, Mexican beetles can be multiplied and released anywhere in India for Parthenium suppression. 7. Biological method: Maxican beetle Zygogramma bicolorata

27. 8. Organize the Awareness camp to public

28. Thank you all