Management of invasive exotic weeds requires community participation

Abstract

In India, exotic weeds, especially Parthenium hysterophorus in urban areas, Lantana camara in forestlands, and Ageratum conyzoides in croplands, have assumed the proportion of noxious biological pollutants. Each of these three natives of tropical America has wide ecological amplitude. Because of ecological, agricultural, environmental, and health hazards for cattle and man, the respective governments of the states as well as the union government of India are trying hard to assess the damage and find a solution for their control. Considerable effort is allocated to top research and development projects involving integrated management through physical, biological, and chemical means, as well as making people aware of the problem. However, success remains elusive, primarily on account of the reluctance of the community because of the health hazards of these weeds. Apart from presenting the hazards and efforts toward control measures tried, it is proposed to share how the success in their management could be achieved through community mobilization.