Study of Aquatic Weeds Their Control in And Around Jamtara District of Jharkhand

Abstract

The present work deals with infestation of aquatic weeds and their control in limnetic habitat in and around Jamtara district of Jharkhand. Jamtara, a tribal dominated socio-economically backward district lies at lower altitude of Chhotanagpur plateau between 23010 - 24005 North latitude and 86030 - 87015 East longitude with a lifestyle based on agriculture and forest ecology have large number of aquatic habitats. These water bodies favour growth of a number of aquatic plants which play an important role in balance of aquatic eco-system. But due to excessive and gregarious growth, some of them become weedy in nature affecting physical, chemical and biological constituents of water bodies. Aquatic weeds are troublesome, nuisance, pernicious and undesirable plants causing environmental, aesthetic and economical losses. Due to troublesome nature, they have also been regarded as economic drain. newlineThe present work is based on survey and sample collection in and around Jamtara district during 2014 - 2017 reveals the occurrence of 87 aquatic plants belonging to 75 genera and 45 families out of which 8 species are algal weeds, 3 pteridophytic and 76 angiospermic. Out of 76 angiospermic flora belonging to 36 families, 35 species are monocots belonging to 29 genera and 13 families and 41 plants are dicots belonging to 35 genera and 23 families. The present research work includes selection of 8 sites, i.e., Jamtara, Mihijam, Kundhit, Nala, Fatehpur, Karmatanr, Mejhiah and Narayanpur and plants were collected from various ponds present in these sampling areas. These sites were visited at regular intervals to trap plants under flowering and fruiting conditions. newlineAquatic weeds are both native and invasive in origin. Some of the important invasive aquatic weeds include Alternanthera philoxeroides (Mart.) Griseb., Eichhornia crassipes Mart., Oxalis corniculata L. etc. newlineIn the surrounding area of Jamtara district, there was much more infestation of Eichhornia crassipes, Alternanthera philoxeroides and Hydrilla verticilla