CABI has increased its capacity to fight the highly invasive and destructive Parthenium weed by opening a new quarantine facility at its Central and Western Asia (CWA) offices and laboratories in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
parthenium
CABI publishes recommendations to fight scourge of parthenium weed in Central West Asia
CABI has published a new evidence note highlighting a list of recommendations to fight the highly-invasive parthenium weed which can have significant impacts on human health, the environment, livestock production and health and crop yields.
The report ‘Parthenium: Impacts and coping strategies in Central West Asia’, states that the aggressively-spreading weed, now classified as a ‘superior weed,’ is extremely prolific being capable of producing up to 30,000 seeds per plant – a key factor in its global spread to 48 countries including India and Pakistan.
Zygogramma bicolorata released at selected sites in Pakistan as biological control of parthenium
Parthenium hysterophorus is a highly destructive weed which has invaded and is widespread in around 48 countries in Africa, Asia, and the South Pacific. In Pakistan the weed is spreading rapidly westwards and southwards across both rural and urban landscapes, affecting native ecology and harming agriculture.
Invasives Most Read 2018
2018 has been a bumper year for the CABI Invasives blog, with 4 times more posts than 2017 and over twice the number of views (over 20,000!). With so many articles published this year, we have compiled a list of the top 20 most read to round off 2018.
Action on Invasives short course on classical weed biological control
Invasive species pose a serious threat to food security, biodiversity, water resources, human and animal health, and economic development. It is widely acknowledged that integrated control is the most effective strategy in managing invasive plants where it involves the use of herbicides, manual or mechanical control, and biological control agents in an integrated way. Last month, a short course on invasion biology and classical biological control of weeds was delivered at CABI in Pakistan.
Parthenium awareness campaign reaches urban population in Islamabad
In Pakistan, the highly invasive weed Parthenium hysterophorus is not only a problem for rural areas, in fact it is of equal concern for urban residents as well. Known locally as ‘Gajar Booti’, Parthenium is a major pest of both cropped and non-cropped areas of Pakistan, causing severe economic, environmental, and health-related problems.
In the fight against Parthenium, make sure to “know your enemy”
Latest book in the CABI Invasive Series: Parthenium Weed
Parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus) is considered one of the worst weeds in the world. It has invaded and is widespread in about 48 countries in Africa, Asia and the South Pacific, and has the potential to spread to new countries in Africa, Asia and parts of Europe. In the countries it has invaded, it has devastating effects on the livelihoods of millions of people causing significant economic, health and environmental loss. In order to effectively manage parthenium weed and mitigate the impacts it has, one needs a good understanding of the biology and ecology of the weed as well as effective management strategies already utilised. As the editors of CABI’s new book on Parthenium so candidly put, ‘know your enemy’ is the first step in effective management.
