Introduction The waste land weed parthenium-Parthenium hysterophorus L. (Family: Compositae) is called by several popular names such as "Feverfew", "Congress weed", "Star weed", "Carrot weed", "White cap", "White top" etc. It is also called by different vernacular names like "Chatak Chandani" "Broom brush" "Osadi". "Gajari", "Phandriphuli", "Nakshatra gida" and "Safed Topi" in various parts of the world. This weed has been recorded as growing naturally from centuries in countries like Mexico, Cuba, North and South America, West Indies and surrounding countries. It is also reported from Australia and Canada. The sister species of P. hystero phorous are reported from the European countries. In India, it is noticed only from mid-fifties. However, its spread throughout the country has been very rapid with abnormal density being highly menacing to the life of man, livestock and other plant species. According to Vartak (1968), the weed is presumed to have accidentally crept into Maharashtra along with the food grains imported from the United States. Lonkar et al. (1974) have opined that there was a possibility that the seeds of this weed was accidentally introduced with the cereals which were imported from the U.S.A. and cultivated experimentally at the Poona Agricultural College Farm.
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