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CAUSES OF RAPID SPREAD OF PARTHENIUM HYSTEROPHORUS L. IN PAKISTAN AND POSSIBLE CONTROL MEASURES – A REVIEW

ARSHAD JAVAID^*, SOBIYA SHAFIQUE AND SHAZIA SHAFIQUE

Abstract: Parthenium hysterophorus L., an annual herb native to the subtropics of North and South America, has achieved major weed status in Pakistan during the last 15-20 years. This weed is rapidly spreading in rain fed districts of northern Punjab while in southern Punjab this weed is either absent or less frequent.  It is growing luxuriantly in forests, grasslands, wastelands, around the agricultural fields and sometimes in less competitive field crops, and  is rapidly replacing the local flora. Highly adaptive nature to adverse environmental conditions, fast growing rate, high productive potential, absence of natural enemies, and interference by resource depletion and allelopathy are the major causes of its establishment in a variety of ecosystems. The weed can be successfully controlled by herbicide Buctril Super at a very low dosage of 0.67 ml L^-1 of water.  The allelopathic grasses like Desmostachya bipinnata and Imperata cylindrica restrict the spread of this weed. Various studies conducted in our laboratory by using aqueous extracts of allelopathic grasses, trees and crops have revealed that allelochemicals have great herbicidal potential against this noxious weed. In a recent survey, we found beetle Zygogramma biocorata Pallister causing defoliation of this weed.  It can be used as a successful biological agent for the control of this noxious alien weed.

Institute of Mycology and Plant Pathology, University of the Punjab, Quaid-e-Azam Campus Lahore, Pakistan

^*Corresponding author’s e-mail: arshadjpk@yahoo.com