Harmless Parthenium-Any takers? Toxic constituents make Parthenium and its residue allelochemic,toxic(both to animals and plants),and allergenic rendering it a harmful and an un -utilisable herbaceous biomass which could otherwise serve as animal feed and green manure.Accidental and /or compulsive(in the absence of adequate green forage especially during summer) grazing of Parthenium by stray domestic animals may result identical plants. Thus somaclonal variation consequent to cytogenic instability can be
use favorably as a basis for obtaining modified plants with desirable attributes.Brassica
juncea and Lathyrus sp. with extremely low neurotoxin content are recent examples of
somaclonal variation for developing strains with desired attributes. Micropropagation protocals including somatic embryogenesis have been
developed at NRC-WS for Parthenium.This is an advanced step towards development of
Parthenium no toxin or low toxin content. For Further Information, Please contact: [Source:Weed Science Newsletter,Indian
Society of Weed Science(Ed.Dr.N.T.Yaduraju),June -December,2000 4(2-4)] |