Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 28: In a bid to control the menace of water hyacinth (Jal Kumbi) in the water bodies of Jammu region, AICRP-Weed Management SKUAST-Jammu under the leadership of Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pradeep K. Sharma and Director Research, Dr. J.P. Sharma along with other statutory officers of SKUAST-Jammu today introduced and released a potential bio-agent, Brazilian water hyacinth weevil (Neochetina bruchii).
The release of weevil has its own significance in the backdrop that almost all the water bodies including major lakes like Mansar, Sruinsar and Sanasar, farm ponds, community ponds and other perennial streams in the Jammu region are heavily infested with water hyacinth and it is not possible to straight way go for the usage of chemicals/herbicides for managing water hyacinth under aquatic eco-systems because of their deleterious implications on the aquatic life.
Heavy infestations of water hyacinth has gained notoriety in ravaging aesthetic value of water bodies, impeding and obstructing actual discharge thereby squeezing the actual size of water bodies besides endangering the aquatic life by lowering the O2 rates in the water.
Introduction and release of weevil will go a long way in managing the problematic weed in an eco-friendly and cost-effective manner. During the event, Prof. Anil Kumar Incharge, AICRP-Weed Management along with Dr. A. P. Singh, Senior Scientist and Dr. R. Puniya, Junior Scientist working in the scheme apprised the dignitaries of the long lasting benefits associated with the weevil in bio-effectively managing water hyacinth.
During the event Vice-Chancellor also interacted with the scientists working in AICRP-Weed Management scheme regarding the progress made in research work and showed his satisfaction and congratulated them for their innovative endeavours in the fields of crop, non-crop and aquatic weed management relevant to different eco-systems of Jammu region.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
