Carrot weed parthenium hysterophorus (l.)-over view of the problems and strategy for its control in india

Parthenium hystcropharus L., a native of West Indies and Tropical North and South America is suspected to have crept into India sometimes in early fifties. Eversince its first appearance at Pune during 1956, it has spread alarmingly and has been reported from almost every part of the country. Apart from tropical North and South America its occurence has been reported from the old world particularly from Africa, Australia and China. The plant is dreaded becaus it is not only a menace to agriculture, but also it is known to cause human and animal health hazards. The remarkable biological and ecological characteristics of this weed have enabled its rapid spread and naturalisation in a wide range of habitat in recent years. It is because of these characteristics, a single or even combination of manual, mechanical, chemical and biological methods of weed control have proved inadequate and ineffective. In this review paper attempts have been made to present the ecology, biology, distribution, menace, various control measures and possible utilization of the weed in the light of recent innovations. Some thrust areas for future work have also been indicated.