Carrot Grass: Quickly destroy worst enemy of farmer

Carrot Grass: Kisan of India, through its thousands of articles and audio-video presentations, has been telling farmers what to do, why, when and how to increase the income of farming. We have been warning the farmers about the dangers, diseases and harmful organisms present on such a path of advanced farming. Continuing the same sequence, in the current Sunday special, we will talk in detail about the biggest enemy of the soil ‘Carrot Grass’. Scientists have given it the status of a destructive canker or wound for the entire biodiversity of the earth. So, wherever you see carrot grass, be it in the village or the city, immediately take the initiative to destroy its poisonous plants with all your might.

Why is it destructive? 

There is an outbreak of this poisonous weed  in about 20 countries of the world. It spreads aggressively and secretes toxic chemicals that make the land barren. It is an intruder plant to India. The outbreak grows rapidly in all types of environments. It is believed that the microscopic seeds of carrot grass entered India by hiding in wheat imported from America or Canada. 

The outbreak was first seen in the country in 1955 in Pune. So far, it has established its roots in the rural and urban areas of the country in the agricultural land, vacant government land along the railway tracks, colleges-hospitals, playgrounds, roadside vacant places in such a way that now its area has spread to 35 million hectares.

Why is it dangerous for everyone ? 

Agricultural scientists of ICAR believe that 40 to 80 percent production of crops is being destroyed due to carrot weed. Be it animal or plant, it is fatal to the entire fauna, biodiversity and environment. Due to its aggressive spreading ability, it destroys every crop and also other useful vegetation. That is why it is necessary to eliminate it on a war footing.

It grows throughout the year if it gets a favourable environment. Apart from the secretion of toxic chemicals, the ability to suck nutrients and moisture from the soil is also manifold in carrot grass. It beats all other crops in the competition for nutrients from the soil. Due to such tremendous exploitation of the soil, it becomes barren. Carrot weed severely affects the production of almost every crop while devastating the land. Due to the high cost of its prevention, the cost of cultivation increases and the farmers suffer a lot.

Carrot grass toxin outbreaks have been observed on germination and growth of rice, sorghum, maize, soybean, pea, sesame, castor, sugarcane, millet, groundnut, vegetables and fruit crops. It affects the development of root nodules in pulse crops. This reduces the activity of nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Pollen grains of carrot grass collect on the plants of vegetables like brinjal, chilli, tomato etc. and affect their pollination, germination and fruit formation and cause chlorophyll deficiency in leaves and deformity in flowers.

What is the identity of carrot grass? 

There are 20 species of carrot grass. It is about 1 meter high and exotic weed with white flowers. They are found in America, Mexico, West Indies, India, China, Nepal, Vietnam and Australia. In India, it is spread over various parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. 

Its botanical name is Parthenium hysterophorus. It is also called Congress grass, white cap, bright moonlight, gandhi booti, ​​chidiya bari etc. Parthenium leaves are like carrot or chrysanthemum leaves. Its stem is hairy and highly branched. Its accumulation is more during the rainy season. Parthenium life cycle is about 4 months but in favourable environment it remains green throughout the year. Each plant of carrot grass produces 5000 to 25000 microscopic seeds. Its seeds lie in the ground for years and germinate easily after getting sunlight and moisture. 

How does it spread? 

With the help of crop seeds, irrigation, fertilizers, wind, rain, soil and means of transport, they reach from one place to another and continue to flourish. If there is an outbreak of carrot grass around a crop and if the harvesting and threshing of the crop is not done carefully, then the seeds of carrot grass reach other fields through the produce. It is seen abundantly on the banks of canals. The seeds of carrot grass grown in canals or drains fall there after ripening and reach the fields along with irrigation water.

Similarly, when farmers make manure from many weeds, the seeds of carrot grass reach the fields by hiding in them. During the grazing of animals in the pasture affected by this grass, the seeds of carrot grass also reach from one place to another through them. Even a gust of strong wind transports the tiny and light seeds of carrot grass from somewhere. If the machine is not cleaned properly after threshing the crop affected by carrot grass, there is a possibility of mixing its seeds with other seeds. 

How to get rid of it ? 

Community effort is very important to keep the soil free of carrot grass. Where it is seen growing, it should be completely destroyed by running a community campaign. The best way to completely destroy it is to uproot and destroy its plants before flowering in the rainy season. A spade can be used to uproot the plants. If the plant has to be pulled out of the ground by hand, gloves must be worn while doing so. So that no part of the body comes in contact with it.

Biological control: After harvesting the crop in summer, two to three plowing of the vacant land should be done with the cultivator. So that all the weeds including the seeds are completely destroyed. The spread and growth of carrot grass can also be prevented by planting marigold plants around homes and in protected areas. It can also be prevented by an insect called ‘Mexican beetle’, which eats only carrot grass and eats the whole plant for one and a half to two months. That’s why 500 to 1000 adult beetles should be released where carrot grass infestation is high. The fertility of this beetle is immense. Their population increases very fast. This makes a sustainable solution for carrot grass.

Chemical control

Carrot grass can also be eradicated through weedicide chemicals. In the initial stage of its growth of carrot grass in empty fields, when the plants have 2-3 leaves, then glyphosate 1.5 to 2.0 percent or metribuzin 0.3 to 0.5 percent or 2.4-D by making a solution of 0.5 kg of active element in 500-600 liters of water and before flowering. Spraying should be done before While spraying, keep in mind that the plants should be well soaked with the solution, otherwise favourable results will not be obtained.

Good use of carrot grass

Carrot grass can be used in the manufacture of many insecticides, bactericides and weed killers. Different types of paper can be prepared from its pulp. Biogas production can be done by mixing it with cow dung. Similarly, if the farmer uses carrot grass, which destroys crops and soil and is the enemy of all living beings, in making compost or vermicompost, then it can also become a friend to increase income.

Make compost from carrot grass 

A rectangular pit is made to make compost from carrot grass. Dry and green carrot grass and cow dung are put in it. Also other residual material can be used. After this two inches of soil is added. This process is repeated till the pit is filled. The compost manure is ready in the pit in six months. If it is used at the rate of 20 quintals per hectare, then it proved to be better than chemical fertilizers. This resulted in an increase of up to 20 percent in the yield of paddy.