Rapid country-wide spread of parthenium weed causes concern

Rourkela (Orissa), Sept 16 (PTI) The rapid spread of the highly
allergic and poisonous parthenium weed all over the country has
alarmed scientists who described it as a major emerging threat to
environment and biodiversity.
The pollen grains of Parthenium Hysterophorus, or carrot grass in
common parlance, cause several diseases like eczema, asthma and
dermatitis, a senior scientist of the Orissa University of Agriculture
and Technology (OUAT), Bhubaneswar, Sudhansu Sekhar Mishra, told PTI.

"It is a poisonous, allergic and aggressive weed whose pollens float
in air and cause eczema, asthma, dermatitis, hay fever (kalazar) etc
in human beings," Mishra said.

The weed was first sighted in Pune in 1956. It had travelled from the
USA with wheat seeds and gradually spread to every corner of the country.

Scientists associated with the All India Co-ordinated Research
Programme said the rapid growth of the weed had become a threat to the
environment and biodiversity. It adversely affects the germination and
growth of several crops.

Mishra said the pollens of the weed shed flowers of vegetables
(tomato, chilli, brinjal) and inactivate nitrogen fixing bacteria in
pulses due to secretion of a chemical substance (sesquiterpene lactones).

Not only human beings, the weed also causes dermatitis in animals like
cows and goats. When they eat the weed, their milk becomes bitter and
drinking it for some length of time may cause death. PTI

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