Parthenium Evidence Note, 2019

Parthenium hysterophorus L. (Asteraceae) is an invasive weed thought to be native to the tropical and subtropical Americas, from where it has spread globally to 48 countries. The weed was first reported in Pakistan in the 1980s in the Gujarat District of Punjab Province. Over the last 10 years, parthenium has extended its range to most areas of the Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), the Federally Administrated Tribal Areas, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and more recently in Sind Province. The weed is spreading to agricultural farms, mainly through the extensive canal network that is used to irrigate the land. Many protected areas (national parks; reserves) have also been invaded, threatening the native plant diversity and environment. Several methods have been attempted to manage the weed, although no single approach can provide absolute control. This evidence note is therefore meant to provide information on the key facts about parthenium; to provide data on farmers’ perception of the weed and how they are coping with it; to summarize the known control methods; and to make recommendations for the sustainable management of the weed for a wide range of stakeholders.