x

Like our Facebook Page

   
Early Times Newspaper Jammu, Leading Newspaper Jammu
 
Breaking News :   In the Shadows of Raja: “Bou Buttu Bhuta” Redefines Odia Cinema with Spectral Allegory of Rural Struggle | The role of the Anganwadi worker has evolved in tandem | Mental rabies means distance from humans, closeness with dogs | Today, Students must be Empowered to Choose not just what is “Safe,” | Sainik Sahayta Kendra | Under PM Modi’s leadership, J&K emerging as education, innovation hub: LG Sinha | Statehood to J&K: Cong mobilizing support of all 233 opposition Lok Sabha members to mount pressure | Kavinder Gupta assumes charge as Ladakh LG | ‘Want Ladakh to be recognised top tourism destination’ | DGP Prabhat reviews Bhadarwah security | CM Omar interacts with citizens at Raabita office in Srinagar | US designates LeT proxy TRF responsible for Pahalgam attack as terrorist organisation | Fresh batch of over 7,900 pilgrims leaves for holy cave shrine | Ahead of ‘Monsoon Session,’ Rajnath, Shah discuss ‘Operation Sindoor’ with NSA, tri-service chiefs | Truck hits car carrying Amarnath pilgrims, 8 injured | Man killed in Kathua accident | Traffic management committee | ACB arrests JDA official for accepting bribe | IT Deptt enables online utility for ITR-2 filing | CISF achieves record medal haul in 2024-25 | Jammu admin disburses Rs 24. 60 lakh compensation in 1 month | ZPHQ Jammu organises farewell ceremony | Janipur police nabs drug peddler wit 5 grams of heroin substance | Farooq hails Congress for taking up J&K statehood issue | CM Yogi's water conservation drive yields remarkable results in UP | DB upheld acquittal of KZF members | ADGP Armed felicitated DySP (Retd) Surjeet Choudhary | 75th anniversary of NSSO celebrated in Jammu | Dr Andrabi visits Eidgah Srinagar, meets youth delegations | Every disaster a lesson to learn from: CS | Doda police traced out missing lady and re-united with her family | Ramban police organized 'BHAROSA' awareness programmes | Improving infrastructure in lord Krishna's land is priority: Hema Malini | YRS will announce president after 23rd September celebration | APS Akhnoor hosts inspiring felicitation ceremony | Fake social media accounts being used to spark caste tensions, says CM Yogi Adityanath | Kathua police arrests absconder evading arrest | JKAACL organizes plantation campaign | The World Stands with Bharat, A Resounding Blow to Pakistan-Backed Terrorism: Gaurav | CS to kick start Vicharnag Temple renovation work today | NC workers join SBSP | Central University of Jammu organizes "Thursday Mind Meet" | Jammu police gifts selfie point to Akhnoor after national recognition | SKUAST-Jammu organizes ZREAC Kharif meeting | LPU inaugurates Real-World Tech Workplaces at Campus with Capgemini Code Experience Lab | DDC Kathua approves Rs 74.52 Cr District Capex Budget for FY 2025-26 | Bovine smuggling bid foiled by Doda police | First meeting of the 56th IFFI steering committee held in Mumbai | Inter-Nursing College Poster Competition held | Akhnnor Sports Club honours badminton players | India U-31 team wins bronze, U-16 finishes fourth in World Youth Team Bridge Championships | World Women's Chess Cup: All four Indians to play tie-breaks | Jadeja's "incredible fight" at Lord's Test earns him Team India's MVP tag | Free entry for Durand Cup at Jamshedpur | Didn't know that a national women's football team existed when I started out: Aditi Chauhan | Back Issues  
 
news details
Parthenium-A Threat to Agro-Eco System
1/16/2021 11:30:26 PM
Dr. Banarsi Lal and Dr. Pawan Sharma

Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is situated in the Northern most part of India and its major part is situated in the Himalayan region. This UT is blessed with immense natural beauty and is considered as the heaven on the Earth. Most of its land is under orchards, pastures, grasslands, forests and wasteland ecosystems. As most of these lands are not used for frequent cultivation, the obnoxious weed like Parthenium hysterophorus (Congress grass) has invaded most of these lands. Parthenium weed is regarded as the worst weed because of its invasiveness, potential for spread and economic and environmental hazards. This invasive weed is presently almost found in all the parts of J&K causing a serious threat to the biodiversity of this beautiful part on the Earth. This weed is considered as the dominant weed in J&K as it has covered almost all the fellow lands, river beds wastelands, pasture lands, grasslands etc. It is a noxious weed because it is highly adaptable to almost all types of environmental conditions and can invade all types of lands, causes high losses in the yield of crops. This weed forms dense, impenetrable thickets and reduces the productivity of crops, pastures, orchards and forestry plantations by its competition for resources and allelopathic effects. The low crops production and productivity due to this weed leads to scarcity of food, fuel wood, fodder, fruits, increase in monkey menace and migration of rural people to urban areas in search of employment after leaving the land fallow.
About 80 per cent of population of J&K directly or indirectly depends on agriculture. People of J&K fulfill their subsistence needs from cultivated, uncultivated and degraded lands. Crops production and productivity can be enhanced in J&K by the management of this problematic weed with the effective technologies. There is need to understand the biology of this obnoxious weed, its ecological impacts and management techniques.
This troublesome weed has high rate of dispersal and adaptation to adverse conditions. About 30 per cent of the land of J&K is under cultivation. This weed is now spreading rapidly its tentacles in agricultural lands, forests and pastures. It is spreading at an alarming rate in the J&K and is found in almost all the districts of J&K. This weed is inversely affecting the biodiversity and ecological system of the J&K. It is said that it was introduced in Jammu and Kashmir in 1963 from Madhopur in Punjab across the Ravi River all along the national highway. After that it has been dispersed in all over the state. Presently its infestation is alarming as it has covered large area in J&K. It has been observed that this weed has reduced different crops yields and has also affected biodiversity in J&K. It can be seen on roadside, railway tracts, vacant lands, wastelands, agricultural, horticultural and plantation crops, industrial areas, irrigation canals etc. in almost every district of J&K.
Parthenium hysterophorus (Congress grass) is commonly known as carrot weed as its plant appears like carrot plant. It is herbaceous, an annual plant belonging to subfamily Heliantheae and family Asteraceae (Compositae). Its vernacular names are as gajar ghas, ragweed, white cap or top, gajari, chatak candani, nakshtra gida, safed topi etc.
This weed has been rapidly spreading from the last two decades across the J&K and now this weed has attained the status of “Worst Weed” because of its allelopathic effects on different crops and harmful effects on human beings and animals.
It has been observed that its infestation causes crops yield losses up to 40 per cent in several crops and reduces fodder production up to 90 per cent. It is an aggressive annual herbaceous plant which has been widely dispersed across J&K. This weed rapidly covers the new surroundings and poses a serious threat to the environment and biodiversity of J&K.
This dangerous weed has been categorised as “Cosmopolitan weed”, “National culprit” and “National health hazard” due to its serious environmental threats. Parthenium origin is considered to be Mexico. In India, its occurrence was first noticed in Pune (Maharashtra) in 1955 and now it has covered almost all parts of the country. It is supposed to be introduced in India from the United States of America along with wheat and other cereals import. By 1972, it had dispersed into the majority of the Western states/UTs from Kashmir in the North to Kerala in the South. It has widely spread in India from Kargil region of Jammu and Kashmir to Port Blair in Andeman and Nicobar. This weed grows at a faster rate due to its aggressiveness, high vitality of seeds, easily dispersal, innate dormancy and prolific seed producing nature. Any part of the plant (even root) can cause the subsequent risk of allergic reactions. In humans it causes health hazards like skin allergy (dermatitis), hay fever, asthma and bronchitis with flowers, seeds and even hair on leaves. The skin becomes photosensitive making it hard for the patient to face the sunlight. Bare parts of the body, soft tissues around the eyes and under joints are more likely to be effected by the contact dermatitis. Allergic papules are observed in school boys when they volunteered for uprooting parthenium. Animals are equally prone to the harmful effect of the weed.
During summer seasons, when the animals do not get palatable species in grazing lands, they are forced to feed on parthenium. As a result milk taste becomes bitter and they suffer with ulcers in mouth and intestine. Whenever animals walk or graze through parthenium, their udders are inflamed and they suffer with fever and rashes. Histopathology of the kidney and liver revealed degenerative changes and necrosis. Being toxic to livestock ,causing both acute and chronic toxicity, a noticeable reduction in milk yield, tainting of milk with parthenin, depigmentation of skin, tainting in mutton and bitter taste of milk have been observed. The milk consumption of the animals grazing around parthenium invaded fields is hazardous to man. Some animals feeding on parthenium die due to acute dysentery, itching, cryhematous, development of oedema around eyelids, dorsum of tongue, loss of hair etc. Parthenin is the chief chemical (0.3%) found in the weed.
Community efforts involving all sections of the society are needed to manage the parthenium. Uprooting the weed manually when the soil is wet and slashing with word, collecting and burning the weed before flowering are some of the means of its manual control. Spraying of a solution of common salt (Sodium Chloride) at 15-20 per cent concentration has been found very effective. Applications of herbicides like glyphosate (1-1.5%) for total vegetation control or metribuzin (0.3-0.5%) if grasses are to be saved in non-agricultural land are considered effective in preventing this weed spread.
It can also be controlled by the use of bio agent Mexican beetle (Zygogramma bicolorata) as it is natural, self sustaining, inexpensive and is ideally suited to non-crop situations and wastelands.
This bio agent remains most active during rainy season and it completely controls the weed. The plant species like Cassia tara, Cassia seriea, Amaranthus asper, Malva pustulata etc. have capability to replace parthenium. The other way to manage parthenium is by uprooting it before flowering and make vermicompost by pit method. Vermicompost can be applied in different crops to mitigate the nutrients problems. It can also be used in papermaking, an antifeedant and phagostimulants. National Research Centre for Weed Science, Jabalpur (M.P.) organises many awareness programmes on Parthenium eradication throughout the country by involving Krishi Vigyan Kendras, institutes under ICAR, environmental agencies, NGOs etc. Various posters, folders, technical bulletins, books. Parthenium eradication has become a challenge in J&K because of its epidemic proliferation and strong reproductive potential. This weed is spreading at an alarming rate in J&K and some strenuous efforts and strategies are needed to eradicate this menace so as to improve the production and productivity of different crops. Both public and private organizations need to work together to manage this obnoxious weed.
  Share This News with Your Friends on Social Network  
  Comment on this Story  
 
 
 
Early Times Android App
STOCK UPDATE
  
BSE Sensex
NSE Nifty
 
CRICKET UPDATE
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
Home About Us Top Stories Local News National News Sports News Opinion Editorial ET Cetra Advertise with Us ET E-paper
 
 
J&K RELATED WEBSITES
J&K Govt. Official website
Jammu Kashmir Tourism
JKTDC
Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board
Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board
Shri Shiv Khori Shrine Board
UTILITY
Train Enquiry
IRCTC
Matavaishnodevi
BSNL
Jammu Kashmir Bank
State Bank of India
PUBLIC INTEREST
Passport Department
Income Tax Department
JK CAMPA
JK GAD
IT Education
Web Site Design Services
EDUCATION
Jammu University
Jammu University Results
JKBOSE
Kashmir University
IGNOU Jammu Center
SMVDU