The Central Horticultural Experiment Station (CHES), ICAR-IIHR, Bhubaneswar successfully observed "Parthenium Awareness Week" from August 16 to 22, 2024. The week-long event was organized to raise awareness about the invasive weed Parthenium hysterophorus, commonly known as Congress grass/Carrot grass, which poses a significant threat to agriculture, biodiversity, and human health. Dr Satyapriya Singh, Scientist, Entomology, provided valuable insights on history, identification, prevention, and control measures to combat the spread of this weed. The event saw active participation of farmers from Koraput and Nawarangpur districts and CHES staffs. Dr.G.C. Acharya the Head of CHES Bhubaneswar, emphasized the importance of continuous efforts to manage Parthenium, highlighting the need for community involvement in the eradication process. The event concluded with a Swatchhata program, where participants manually removed weed from CHES campus.
