07-08-2013, 01:10 PM
Parthenium rust (Puccinia abrupta): A potential component of integrated Parthenium weed in intermediate hills of J&K
ABSTRACT
Parthenium hysterophorus L. (Asteraceae) or parthenium weed is a major weed of agricultural and urban situations throughout India. An integrated strategy consisting of insects and pathogens should be evolved for the sustainable management of the weed. Natural occurrence of P. abrupta was recorded in J&K for the first time. The pathogen isolation confirmed that P. abrupta can infect the weed in mid-cool altitude regions and can therefore be utilised in integrated parthenium management in these areas where its occurrence is not confirmed by inoculating the plants with uredospores from infected area. The reduction in leaf number and leaf area due to P. abrupta might reduce the amount of photosynthates produced, which in turn reduces plant height, number of branches that bear flowers and seed. Since parthenium reproduces by seed, rust infection is likely to curtail the seed production to a certain extent and hence the spread of the weed can be checked.