ARS, Karimnagar observed Awareness Programme cum Exhibition on Parthenium Eradication during Parthenium Awareness Week on 21st August, 2024 in the Office and Adopted Village, Nagulamallial of Kothapally of Karimnagar District

Agricultural Research Station, Karimnagar of Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University observed Awareness Programme cum Exhibition on Parthenium Eradication during Parthenium Awareness Week (16-22nd August) on 21st August, 2024 at Agricultural Research Station, Karimnagar and at adopted village Nagulamallial of Kothapally of Karimnagar District. Dr.G.Manjulatha, Principal Scientist and Head enlightened the students and farmers on the menace of Parthenium which is an aggressive colonizer of wastelands, cultivated lands, pastures, etc. and significance of Parthenium Week and educated them on the dreadful ill effects of Parthenium on agricultural crops, animals and humans causing respiratory and skin allergic problems besides deteriorating environment, loss of crop productivity and biodiversity exerting allelopathic effects on different crops. Dr.G.Usharani Scientist (Plant Breeding) has involved in the Exhibition of display material related to Parthenium and detailed the Biology and propagation of Parthenium. Harmful effect of Parthenium on health of human beings and animals were explained by Dr.D.Sravani, Scientist (Plant Breeding). DAATTC Coordinator, Dr.K.Madan Mohan Reddy has informed the gathering regarding the importance of extension activities in eradicating parthenium and informed the RAWEP students to actively poarticipate in the eradication of Parthenium in various villages and mandals of Karimnagar and Rajanna Sircilla Districts where they are hosted. Biological management of Parthenium sp. was conveyed by Dr.M.Rajendra Prasad, Scientist (Crop Protection) DAATTC, Karimnagar. The RAWEP students have displayed various exhibits of information related to life history, various control measures, ill effects of Parthenium, etc in coloured charts and also live samples of Parthenium plants, seeds, biocontrol agent Zygograma bicolorata which aided in the easy understanding means for the audience. Later, all the Parthenium plants were manually uprooted and eradicated in the surrounding fields and bunds. In the same meeting, Neeti Ayog, New Delhi, Social Welfare initiative provided awareness on Elephantiasis and as such information was given on causal organism, precautions and recommendations for the farmers and students inturn to inform other farmers as the areas are particularly grown with paddy crop. In this programme at adopted village, the Agricultural Extension Officers Sri. Lalitha, Sri. Tirupathi and Sri Rajendra Prasad along with 55 farmers and at office, RAWEP Students, teaching and non-teaching staff of ARS, Karimnagar and timescale and contract workers accounting around 100 members have actively participated in the eradication programme.