Parthenium

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As a part of a three-day campaign of Parthenium Free Pobitora, about 5.2 hectares of the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Assam‘s Morigaon district were cleared of Parthenium, or Congress grass, an invasive weed, by the forest staff recently.

About Parthenium

• Parthenium hysterophorus L., commonly known as carrot weed, white top, or congress grass in India, is an herbaceous, erect, and annual plant belonging to the family Asteracae (compositae).
• It is a poisonous, pernicious, problematic, allergic, and aggressive weed posing a serious threat to human beings and livestock.
• In India, this weed has been considered as one of the greatest sources of dermatitis, asthma, nasal-dermal and nasal-bronchial types of diseases.
• Besides ill effects, it also causes several other problems, like blockage of common pathways, and reduces the aesthetic values of parks, gardens, and residential colonies.
• It is a nuisance on roadsides and railway tracks, vacant lands, wastelands, industrial areas, and on the sides of open drainage systems and irrigation canals, besides invading agricultural crops, orchards, and forest areas.
• It is most popularly known as gajar ghas due to its appearance like a carrot plant.
• The origin of parthenium is considered to be from Mexico, America, Trinidad, and Argentina. 
• After the noticeable occurrence of parthenium in Pune (Maharashtra) in 1955, it has spread like a wildfire throughout India. 
• At present parthenium has invaded about 35 million hectares of land in India.
• It mainly spreads through seeds. 
  • A single plant can produce about 5000 – 25000 seeds.
  • The seeds are very small in size and light in weight.

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Key Facts about Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary

• It is located in the eastern region of Guwahati, Assam.
• It was established in 1998 and covers an area of 48.81 square kilometres.
• The Sanctuary consists of the Rajamayong Reserve Forest and Pobitora Reserve Forest.
• Flora: 
  • 72% of Pabitora consists of the wet savannah of Arundo donax, Erianthus ravennae, Phragmites karka, Imperata cylindrica, and Saccharum spp.
  • Water hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes) is a major problem, especially to waterfowl, as it forms thick mats on the water surface.
• Fauna: 
  • Pobitora is mainly famous for its great Indian One-horned rhinoceros. 
  • It is known for holding the highest density of Greater One Horned Rhinoceros in the country.
  • Besides rhinoceros, the other animals are leopard, wild boar, Barking deer, wild buffalo, etc. 
  • It is also home to more than 2000 migratory birds and various reptiles.

Source: NEL