All is not quite what it seems in the fight against the noxious Parthenium weed
Scientists are busy investigating effective safer-to-use, and friendlier to the environment, biological control agents to fight one of the world’s most noxious invasive weeds – parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus).
Can beneficial insects control parthenium weed in Pakistan to safeguard crops?
Can biological control of parthenium in Pakistan safeguard crops? Last month, leaders worldwide focused on climate change at COP27. One critical subject has been the impact of global warming on food production. Rising temperatures have had terrible effects on crops. This is because they can help spread invasive alien species (IAS), including weeds, which can…
Remote sensing of highly invasive Parthenium weed in Pakistan
Parthenium is a highly invasive plant species. It threatens agricultural productivity, biodiversity, and human and animal health wherever it takes root. In Pakistan, it’s called famine weed because of its devastating impact on crop yields and livelihoods.
First parthenium biocontrol agent approved for release in Pakistan
The stem boring weevil Listronotus steosipennis has been approved for release as a biocontrol agent for the management of Parthenium hysterophorus in Pakistan. Parthenium has spread throughout much of the country causing problems in both rural and urban areas. It is hoped this weevil will prove a sustainable and effective management option for this invasive…
CABI to take part in Feed the Future’s webinar on Biocontrol of Parthenium
CABI scientist Dr Kazam Ali is to share his expertise on a panel of researchers who are taking part in a Biocontrol of Parthenium webinar hosted by the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Integrated Pest Management. Other members of the panel for the webinar, which will take place on Tuesday, March 30, from 7am…
CABI trains provincial agriculture departments on biocontrol agents of fall armyworm and parthenium in Pakistan
Under its Action on Invasives (AoI) programme CABI in Pakistan organized two training sessions for rearing biocontrol agents to manage fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) and parthenium (Parthenium hysterophorus) in December, 2020.
Establishing parthenium leaf beetle (Zygogramma bicolorata) at new sites in Pakistan
Parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus) is an aggressive herbaceous plant native to north-east Mexico and is endemic in America, with no economic importance reported. This invasive weed has spread to over 50 countries, including Pakistan. Parthenium is prolific, yielding thousands of small white flowers each forming five seeds and on reaching maturity results in a huge number of…
Do invasive species impact men and women differently?
We know that invasive species – whose introduction and spread threaten biodiversity – disproportionately affect communities in poor rural areas who depend on agriculture and natural resources for their livelihood. But do gender roles and relationships in agriculture influence the way men and women experience the impact of invasive species?
‘A consortium is needed to combat the menace of Parthenium in Pakistan’
CABI in Pakistan, in collaboration with the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF), arranged a seminar on ‘Research–academia linkages on parthenium’ held at New Senate Hall, on 9th June. Addressing the participants, UAF Vice Chancellor Prof. Muhammad Ashraf explained that parthenium is spreading at an alarming rate across the country and there is a clear need for…
Using online workshops to ensure the fight against invasive species continues in Pakistan
As the global COVID-19 pandemic continues, CABI is ensuring that efforts to combat invasive species are continuing. The CABI centre in Pakistan organized a one-day online workshop on the development of Pest Management Decision Guides (PMDGs) and Technical Briefs on the invasive pests: fall armyworm, parthenium weed, and Tuta absoluta.