It is
definitely going to affect the productivity of the soil and agricultural
growth.
by
Dr. Nitish Priyadarshi
Above photographs shows
how the poisonous Parthenium grass is covering the agricultural lands in Gaya district of Bihar state in India . It is definitely going to
affect the productivity of the soil and agricultural growth.
Lack of awareness among
the local people and government agencies had helped these plants to grow
rapidly on the vast areas of the district.
It will not only affect the agricultural products but also the health of the local villagers with asthma, Allergic, Trinities Sinusitis, dermatitis (type of skin disease) especially among the childrens, Eczema, Allergic papules and all types of Allergic reactions.
Parthenium weed's
botanical name is Parthenium Hystrophorous. It is a herbaceous
plant, and a native of Tropical America. It is an annual herb and has a deep
taproot and erect stem, which becomes woody with age. Parthenium weed
leaves are deeply lobed. It is pale green in colour and has soft hair. Parthenium
weed flower is creamy white in color. The weed has a large number of stems.
It has small (1-2mm long) black seeds with white scales. They are not visible
to the naked eye. It has been declared noxious in America ,
Australia , India and many other countries
especially those having tropical climates.
A single plant can produce 10,000 to 15,000 viable seeds
that occupy roadsides, tank bunds, fence lines, waste lands, agricultural
fields etc.
If it intrudes into the agricultural domain productivity is definitely going to be adversely affected.
It squeezes
grasslands and pastures, reducing the fodder supply. Scientists describe it as
a "poisonous, allergic and aggressive weed posing a serious threat to
human beings and livestock."
The presence of
parthenium in cropped lands results in yield reduction up to 40 per cent. It is
also responsible for bitter milk disease in livestock fed on grass mixed with
parthenium.
Probing biological pollutant, highly
successful in distribution. No species of the past or the present
century can ever match with this. The reasons for its fast spread are:
(l) High germination ability throughout the year, (2) Large seed production ability, (3) High
survival rate, (4) Extreme adaptability in a wide range of
habitats. (5) Easy dispersal of seeds.
From the day it was perceived as a menace, efforts
are being made to control the weed by different methods. But so far, no
single method appears to be satisfactory, as each method suffers from one or
more limitations, such as high cost, impracticability, environmental safety,
tem and Mechanical Eradication It is observed that cutting or slashing
of parthenium enhances its regeneration. So uprooting manually is the
finest option. During the rainy season, the soil remains wet and hence
manual or mechanical removal can be done before the onset of flowering
with people's participation. This operation should be started before
blooming as uprooting after fruit setting will be a sheer waste of time and
money. As manual removal is not cost effective, it can be advocated only in
limited situations. If it becomes imperative to use labour, they should
be equipped with protective measures including ascertaining their parthenium
sensitiveness.
During the last few years much emphasis has been
laid on controlling parthenium through various biological agents like
insects, pathogens and by creating competition that result in 'survival
of the fittest'.
In the recent past, this approach gained momentum to do away with unwanted plants. Experimentally, it was found that Cassia species can control parthenium. C.sericea(C.uniflora), a non-nitrogen fixing leguminous herb, colonizes more aggressively without giving scope for Parthenium to manifest. Cassia can be encouraged either from wild source or by introducing it in targeted areas.
In the recent past, this approach gained momentum to do away with unwanted plants. Experimentally, it was found that Cassia species can control parthenium. C.sericea(C.uniflora), a non-nitrogen fixing leguminous herb, colonizes more aggressively without giving scope for Parthenium to manifest. Cassia can be encouraged either from wild source or by introducing it in targeted areas.
Problems associated with Parthenium:
- It
is a vigorous species, which colonizes in grassy land . It grows rapidly
in bare areas along roadsides and water points.
- It
reduces the production of pasture.
- It
is very expensive to control.
- It
is a major health hazard to human beings.
- It
emits carbon dioxide and hence, poses a problem to nitrogen fixation and
becomes a parasite, dependent on standing crops and animals in its
vicinity.
- Its
pollens are a major cause of asthma, especially in children and elderly
people.
- It
is a major cause of Allergic, Trinities Sinusitis, affecting about ten
percent of the people who live near it.
- It
is a major cause of dermatitis, a skin disease, among animals and human
being.
- It
reduces yield of milk and weight of animals.
- It
causes irritation to eyes.
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