Parthenium weed control methods

Farm Questions
1

Hi,

Anyone has idea on controlling Parthenium hysterophorus weed? It spreads rapidly in our land and cause lot of troubles. I prefer natural/organic methods to control or destroy it completely but chemical methods are also welcome.

Thanks
Guru

2

Naturally or Organically Parthenium is not a weed at all.
1.However you can cut them and extract juice and spray as pesticide,
2.If you cut them continuousely for say 1-2 years, before flowering they will not grow.
3.By mulching you can avoid weeds.
4.Another best way to avoid weed is to grow cover crops.

1 Like
3

If I may add in addition to sri’s comment, Mr. Raju titus (natural farmer from MP) says that Parthenium is a friend of farmer. It provides green cover. Tilling will worsen the problem. Try to minimize or eliminate tilling. Instead of cutting, crimp the plants i.e press them down with a simple crimper( just a metal rod with rope attached which can be used to press down the plants). This will just bend/break the plant at stem, it will slowly die while giving food to microbes, covering the land and acting as mulch.

–Yug

4

I have tried this. They are verry stubborn plants. they dont snap(cut) so easily. they start growing in slanted position when it is bent. I have not tried crimping too young plants. May be it works.
Crimping is also has question on scalbility (i.e. if the area is big it is too laboriouse)
Summary: If the plants are too young crimping is eco friendly option. if the plants are grown using brush cutter is better(not eco friendly)

5

I read Parthenium beetle (Zygogramma bicolorata) would be available at Directorate of Weed Science Research, ICAR, Jabalpur
Someone might want to try calling them.

isws.org.in/downloads/Journals/41%20(1&2/1-18.pdf
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zygogramma

6

partheneum (gongress gavat) is not a weed or a problem. it is an asset. we make many inputs for farming with this.

7

Respected Sri Keshavapuri, will you please illustrate in detail, which will be very useful for our farming community. g.p.rao, farmer.

8

Hello Friends,
On another agriculture forum, one of the members posted the following.

[quote]Hello,
Farmers spent huge money to eradicate the terrible weed parthenium.

In my own experience it is very easy way to eradicate it with negligible expense.

Add 1.5kg of crude crystal salt( no powder salt like tata salt) in 10 lit pure water and allow the salt to dissolve.

This mixture may be thoroughly sprayed on the entire parthenium plant.

You will see the plant entirely dies the second day.[/quote]

I have tried and it works nicely. Please use it to control the most destructive weed that is almost impossible to control.

Good luck.
Nikhil

9

Hi Nikhil,

Thats a fantastic approach. however I had a few queries.

  1. does this approach work on other weeds as well, such as grass and other waste plants.
  2. would application of salt increase the salinity of the soil and impact the growth of other plants.

Regards,
Mohan

10

ganjar gavat is a useful weed in agriculture. why do you spend money and effort to loose an asset.
we make use of the ganjar gavat as an asset.

11

@agri_lover

  1. Other plants are slowly drying up, but not completely, parthenium was the fastest.
  2. Generally parhenium is a nuisance on bunds and areas where you cannot or will not grow anything. These areas will be responsible for spreading the seeds to other parts of the farm. If you have lots of parthenium in the land, then its better to use cultivation techniques to remove. For bunds and corners and road sides, you can spray and control. As for salinity, I am not sure how 1.5 kg of salt spread over a large area of spray will have any impact and that too after the plant has absorbed it. Since it is sprayed on non-cultivable areas, I feel you need not have to worry.

@keshavpuri
Please sir enlighten us on what you have found which makes this weed an asset.
I would be very delighted to know if there is a valid use. There is probably no plant more easier to grow than parthenium on earth.
If you want I can harvest and send it to you, there are too many in my farm. Please let me know if you are purchasing from outside as well. :slight_smile:

Nikhil

12

keshavapuri,

Very surprised to hear Parthenium is useful & so curious to know more. Frankly I’ve not a heard anything remotely postive about this plant. Request you to share more info.

Thanks

13

This topic was already discussed. So merged the threads. request you to go thru replies from other members also.

14

pls find how to control parthinium

parthinium.jpeg800×762 253 KB

15

Kindly translate from Telugu to English.

16

I checked out with the agri help line. Some how got hold of a professor in TNAU. He confirmed that they are finding the bug ineffective. It eats the leaves… not the stem or the flowers.

Recently a Child injested Parthenium…and had severe allergic reactions.

Any suggestions? has anyone tried the Bug?

17

Application of 1.5kg salt per 10 ltr and 10tanks ads as little as 15kg salt app per 1 acer, no problem at all,

18

Parthenium should be harvested before flowering and can be used for mulching the crop/garden plants. Mulched plants are decomposed slowly, increase the soil moisture, nourish the soil microbes and form the humus.