Congress grass awareness week passes unnoticed in the country

By Staff
|
Google Oneindia News

Ludhiana, Sep 17 (UNI) India has just observed an awareness week from September six to 12 on the congress grass weed--Parthenium, unknown to most people including enviornmentalists.

Countrywide, almost four to seven per cent of the human population suffers from recognisable clinical symptoms that cause one or the other form of Parthenium related health hazards. This weed, growing in abundance in rural and urban areas, is known to cause a variety of allergies, dermatitis, eczema, black spots and blisters around eyes, and over skin, redness of skin, asthma etc.

Punjab Agricultural University's (PAUs) department of agronomy, agrometeorology and forestry actively participated in creating awareness among farmers during the just concluded national campaign.

Head of the department Dr Raj K Mahey today said two camps were organised in Pamal and Natt villages with the cooperation of panchayats and schools.Farmers were cautioned to avoid coming in contact with Parthenium.

This weed is very fast growing and deep rooted, appearing in flushes at the end of February and continues to be a nuisance till November. It produces enormous quantity of pollen, on an average 624 million per plant. Whiffs of wind carry the pollen in clusters of grains to short distances and it settles on vegetative and floral parts,like tomato,brinjal, beans, capsicum and maize.

Agronomists have called upon the general public to be aware of the health hazards caused by the omnipresent congress grass, since it induces severe allergies and respiratory problems.The weed is a menace to the cattle.

The milk of milch animals effected by congress grass is known to contain harmful content of 'parthenin'.

UNI HS SP KN1746

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