Effects and Management ofParthenium hysterophorus: A Weed of Global Significance

Abstract

Congress grass, Parthenium hysterophorus L., of the family Asteraceae (tribe: Heliantheae), is an erect and much branched annual or ephermeral herb, known for its notorious role as environmental, medical, and agricultural hazards. It is believed to have been introduced into India and Australia from North America and in the last few years the weed has emerged as the seventh most devastating weed in Africa, Asia, and Australia. The aim of this review is to provide general information about the physiology, distribution, ill effects, and management of parthenium. Control of parthenium has been tried by various methods, but no single management option would be adequate to manage parthenium, and there is a need to integrate various management options. Successful management of this weed can only be achieved by an integrated approach with biological control as the key element.

Harmful Effects of Parthenium hysterophorus and Management Through Different Approaches”- A review

“…Plant parts like root and shoot extracts of Dicanthium annulatum, Sorghum halepense showed reduction in germination and early seedling growth of parthenium. Extracts of Azadirachta indica, Aegle marmelos and Eucalyptus tereticomis have inhibited the germination of P. hysterophorus weed (Kaur et al, 2014).…”

“…The other skin problems include is mixed pattern combining of ABCD and CAD which shows as scattered infiltrated scaly papules over the exposed parts and dermatitis over eyelids, flexures of extremities on neck. The fourth one is photosensitive lichenoid eruption pattern which presents with violaceous papules, and plaques over sun exposed parts such as cheek, forehead, ears, upperchest and back, dorsae of hands (Kaur et al, 2014). The prurigo nodularis like pattern present as multiple hyperkeratotic papules and nodules with characteristic histopathologic features similar to prurigo nodularis [Kaur et al, 2014;Sharma et al, 2013;Aneja, 1991).…”

“…The fourth one is photosensitive lichenoid eruption pattern which presents with violaceous papules, and plaques over sun exposed parts such as cheek, forehead, ears, upperchest and back, dorsae of hands (Kaur et al, 2014). The prurigo nodularis like pattern present as multiple hyperkeratotic papules and nodules with characteristic histopathologic features similar to prurigo nodularis [Kaur et al, 2014;Sharma et al, 2013;Aneja, 1991). Akthar et al Showed P. hysterophorus extracts responded with positive skin reaction to mAb2 and also involvement of TH type cytokines in P. hysterophorus dermatitis (Akhtar et al, 2010), shown in figure 1.…”

“…It is an aggressive, ubiquitous, annual, herbaceous weed with no economic importance unravelled till now. It is an erect and much branched annual or ephemeral herb, known for its notorious role as environmental, medical, and agricultural hazards (Kaur et al, 2014). It is native to the American tropics, common name includes Congress grass, Congress weed, Santa Maria, Bitter weed, Carrot grass, False ragweed, Fever few, White top, the "Scourge of India".…”

Biocontrol Potential of Four Deadly Strains of Alternaria macrospora Isolated from Parthenium Weed

“…J., 14 (2): 72-78, 2015(Aneja et al, 2013. Since 1979, considerable progress has been made towards practical use of plant pathogens as safe and selective agents of weed management (Charudattan and Walker, 1982;Aneja et al, 2000;Kaur et al, 2014). The biological control of this weed using fungal pathogens under the mycoherbicidal strategy has been suggested as one of the most efficient method, owing to its long lasting, less costly and eco-friendly nature.…”