Keywords :
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Parthenium, dermatitis, allelopathy,
mutagenicity, biopesticide, neuralgia
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Abstract :
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Parthenium hysterophorus is a noxious weed in
America , Asia and Australia with no economic importance
revealed till last few decades. This wed is considered to be a
cause of allergic respiratory problems, contact dermititis,
mutagenicity in humans and livestock. Crop production is
drastically reduced because of its allelipathic nature. Certain
pulses and cereals were not growing at their full because of
the presence of parthenium growing near them.
Also dominance of this weed threatens biodiversity which is
effecting whole world. Eradication of Parthernium
hysterophorus by burning , chemical herbicides, eucalyptus
oil and biological control by leaf-feeding beetle, stem-galling
moth, stem-boring weevil and fungi have been carried out
with variable degrees of success. This eradication was
necessary to avoid its harms as it is directly or indirectly
affecting social health as well as economy of farmers by
causing diseases and reducing crop production. But recently
many innovative uses of this notorious plant have been
discovered. It confers many health benefits, like remedy for
skin inflammation, rheumatic pain, diarrhea, urinary tract
infections, dysentery, malaria and neuralgia. Its prospect as
nano-medicine is being carried out with some preliminary
success so far . Removal of heavy metals and dye from the
environment, eradication of aquatic weeds, additives in cattle
manure for biogas production, as biopesticide, as green
manure and compost are to name a few of some other
potentials.
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