The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Beetles to fight Parthenium

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Tuesday, Dec 11, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Beetles to fight Parthenium

G.V. Ramana Rao

Remedy to check the havoc spread by the weed

— Photo: Ch. Vijaya Bhaskar

Educative talk: Former director of Nuclear Power Board M. Hari Prasada Rao explaining to farmers the harm caused by Parthenium weed at a meeting at Avanigadda in Krishna dstrict on Monday.

AVANIGADDA: Mexican beetles that feed on the ‘dreaded’ Parthenium weed have been introduced in Diviseema area in Krishna district to check its spread.

Zygogramma bicolorata, a beetle endemic to Mexico, is going to be mass produced and released in areas where the weed, known for causing dermatitis, skin allergy, eczematous dermatitis, rhinitis (running nose), nasal and bronchial asthma, hay fever in humans and reactions in animals and other plants, thrives.

M. Hari Prasada Rao, a former director of Nuclear Power Board under the Department of Atomic Energy and a Padmashree awardee, said that the weed had entered the country along with PL 480 wheat in the 50s and since then has been spreading because of lack of awareness among farmers.

With the help of some students from IIM, Ahmedabad, Mr. Rao introduced the beetle here on Monday.

The beetles brought here from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, were released directly on Parthenium bushes along the roadside in Avanigadda and later distributed to farmers at a programme organised by the Federation of Farmer’s Association, A.P.

Reduced yields

IIM student Siddharth Jaiswal, quoting studies said Parthenium weed caused intestinal ulcers in grazing animals and reduced milk yields.

The weed also caused severe depletion of soil fertility and reduced crop yields. Parthenin, a toxin produced by the plant, affected nodulation in leguminous plants and fruit setting in many vegetables like brinjal, chilli and tomato.

A. Subrahmanyeswara Rao, principal scientist at the Integrated Weed Management Unit of the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Lam (Guntur district), said that the beetle was a ‘host specific’ variety (does not feed on any other crop) and also a very cost effective way of controlling the weed.

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