Chapter 12
Vermicomposting of Parthenium
hysterophorus L.: A Solution to Weed
Menace in Terrestrial Ecosystem
Deepshikha Sharma and Anu Bala Chowdhary
Abstract Parthenium hysterophorus L. is one of the most harmful and aggressively
colonizing terrestrial weed which is invading and degrading the natural ecosystems
in India. It is causing a serious impact on the human health, economy and environment. It also threatens the native biodiversity of India. Its immediate management is
the need of the hour to maintain the ecological balance in terrestrial habitat. To
manage the menace of Parthenium weed, a number of management approaches have
been used, but unfortunately each has its own limitations. An effective tool for the
management of invasive Parthenium weed is vermitechnology. This chapter discusses the hazards associated with the Parthenium weed and its mitigation with
vermicomposting by using locally available epigeic earthworms.
Keywords Parthenium hysterophorus L. · Management · Menace · Invasive ·
Vermicompost
12.1 Introduction
Parthenium weed, Parthenium hysterophorus L. (Asteraceae; Heliantheae), is an
annual herbaceous plant that grows luxuriantly in terrestrial ecosystem of India,
mainly agricultural fields, abandoned lands, railway tracks, forest ecosystems, irrigation canals, etc. It is a native of Northeast Mexico and is endemic to America. It is
commonly known as carrot grass, congress grass, star weed, bitter weed, etc.
Parthenium grows to a height of 0.50–2.0 m. It germinates at any time of the year.
Flowering begins at 6–8 weeks after germination in summer and continues until
D. Sharma (*)
Department of Environmental Sciences, Government Degree College Kathua, Kathua, Jammu
and Kashmir, India
A. B. Chowdhary
Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar,
Punjab, India
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive licence to
Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
S. A. Bhat et al. (eds.), Earthworm Assisted Remediation of Effluents and Wastes,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4522-1_12
195
Vermicomposting of Parthenium
hysterophorus L.: A Solution to Weed
Menace in Terrestrial Ecosystem
Deepshikha Sharma and Anu Bala Chowdhary
Abstract Parthenium hysterophorus L. is one of the most harmful and aggressively
colonizing terrestrial weed which is invading and degrading the natural ecosystems
in India. It is causing a serious impact on the human health, economy and environment. It also threatens the native biodiversity of India. Its immediate management is
the need of the hour to maintain the ecological balance in terrestrial habitat. To
manage the menace of Parthenium weed, a number of management approaches have
been used, but unfortunately each has its own limitations. An effective tool for the
management of invasive Parthenium weed is vermitechnology. This chapter discusses the hazards associated with the Parthenium weed and its mitigation with
vermicomposting by using locally available epigeic earthworms.
Keywords Parthenium hysterophorus L. · Management · Menace · Invasive ·
Vermicompost
12.1 Introduction
Parthenium weed, Parthenium hysterophorus L. (Asteraceae; Heliantheae), is an
annual herbaceous plant that grows luxuriantly in terrestrial ecosystem of India,
mainly agricultural fields, abandoned lands, railway tracks, forest ecosystems, irrigation canals, etc. It is a native of Northeast Mexico and is endemic to America. It is
commonly known as carrot grass, congress grass, star weed, bitter weed, etc.
Parthenium grows to a height of 0.50–2.0 m. It germinates at any time of the year.
Flowering begins at 6–8 weeks after germination in summer and continues until
D. Sharma (*)
Department of Environmental Sciences, Government Degree College Kathua, Kathua, Jammu
and Kashmir, India
A. B. Chowdhary
Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar,
Punjab, India
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive licence to
Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2020
S. A. Bhat et al. (eds.), Earthworm Assisted Remediation of Effluents and Wastes,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4522-1_12
195