Survey on Awareness of Parthenium Infestation and its Ill effects in Andhra Pradesh, India Neelima T. L.1,*, Reddy M. D.2, Madhavi M.3 1Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture (ANGRAU), Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh (500 030), India 2Water Technology Center (WTC), College of Agriculture (ANGRAU), Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh (500 030), India 3AICRP on Weed Control, College of Agriculture (ANGRAU), Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh (500 030), India *Correspondence to E-mail: avr_agron@rediffmail.com
Online published on 31 March, 2014. Abstract A survey on awareness of Parthenium infestation and its ill effects was conducted in 8 districts of Andhra Pradesh state in India by selecting 3 mandals (block) in each district, 2 villages in each mandal and an average of 5 farmers in each village. The survey indicated that 94% of the respondents were aware of the ill effects of Parthenium. More than 76% informed that Parthenium has been invading the area for more than last 10 years. 55% knew about the problems caused to human beings like skin allergy, asthma and fever. 17% told that children above 12 years old were affected much, and 96% of the respondents knew about the spread of Parthenium. People accepted that it grows profusely in heavy soils (45%) followed by light soils (17%). All the respondents replied that it grows profusely in the monsoon season and in soils having moisture. Further, its maximum appearance occurs in June-July, flowering in August-September and drying in October. Top Keywords Awareness, ill effects, Parthenium, survey. Top |