Kotli Sakkian Wali becomes first Gajarbooti-free village of Amritsar district

Ludhiana, April 19, 2018: Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Nagkalan, Amritsar working under the aegis of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has made Kotli Sakkian wali village as the first Gajarbooti Free village of Amritsar district.
Gajarbooti (Parthenium hysterophorus) is the most feared weed species in India and across the globe. The toxins present in gajarbooti plant cause several allergies and diseases in human beings and livestock. Kotli Sakkian wali village was selected under the PAU and Bayer Crop Science (BCS) collaborative project in 2017. The village had heavy gajarbooti infestation at many locations.
Dr. Raminder Kaur Hundal, Assistant Prof. Agronomy from KVK and Mr. Narinder Saini & Mr. Suresh Jatav from BCS, under the guidance of Dr. B.S. Dhillon, Associate Director. KVK, Amritsar organized gajarbooti awareness programs and sensitized the villagers about harmful effects of the weed species and its management. And with the active support from Kotli Sakkian wali gram panchayat, they got all gajarbooti plants uprooted within and along the village premises mechanically and by using herbicides, alternatively, and the village is now free from this weed. It needs to be mentioned here that under Punjab conditions, gajarbooti germinates from February through November and as soon as its plant attains 3 to 5 leaf stages (before flowering) these need to be uprooted/destroyed. The new weed infestations in the Kotli Sakkian Wali village are being regularly monitored, and uprooted/sprayed with herbicides to prevent seed production, which is a big step towards eradication of this noxious weed. The villagers in the second year (2018)also started to uproot the new emerged plants.
While appreciating the work, Dr. B. S. Dhillon stated that the KVK will provide all technical support to people/gram panchayats who come forward for eradication of gajarbooti in their premises.
Dr. M.S. Bhullar, Sr. Agronomist from PAU and project PI told that the project aims to develop model gajarbooti free villages in the state with a focus on ‘Gajarbooti free Punjab’.