Parthenium Awareness Week is being observed from 16th to 22nd August every year under All India Coordinated Research Program on Weed Management sponsored by ICAR, Directorate of Weed Research, Jabalpur being operated at Department of Agronomy, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. Accordingly, awareness campaigns on the ill effects of Parthenium and its management are being conducted for various stakeholders like farmers, school and college students, farm labourers and sanitary workers.
In the inaugural event of the awareness campaign conducted on 16th August 2025, the undergraduate students of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University were sensitized about Parthenium weed management. In this program, Dr.N.Senthil, Director (Crop management) in-charge, inaugurated and presided over the campaign. In his inaugural address, he emphasized the importance of Parthenium management and also the ill-effects caused by Parthenium. The Professor and Head of the Department of Agronomy Dr.R.Krishnan delivered the keynote address on Parthenium and its management. During this event Mexican beetles were also released for the biological control of Parthenium.
In this campaign, awareness was created on Parthenium weed and its ill effects, and control measures such as cultural, chemical and biological means among the students. In addition, composting technology of Parthenium was also demonstrated. Dr.S.Radhamani, Professor (Agronomy) & Principal Investigator (AICRP-WM), Senior research fellows and Assistant Agricultural officer working in the scheme have participated and conducted the event. The awareness campaigns will be conducted up to 22nd August for various stakeholders at different locations.