Abstract

A field survey was conducted at Nyabikulungo, Kagenyi and Rubwera villages in kyerwa district, Tanzania in 2014 to assess the invasion of Parthenium hysterophorus L. weed. Quadrates were used to determine number of parthenium weeds in each location. A total of 560 parthenium weeds were recorded from grazing lands, 384 of the weed from road sides and 289 from crop lands of Nyabikulungo, Kagenyi and Rubwera. The mean number of parthenium weed was significantly different between roadside, crop and grazing lands and among surveyed villages. Parthenium weed was found to be spreading very quickly along the roadsides, residential areas, crop and grazing lands. The density of the parthenium weed was detected as 43.3%, 56.7% and 86.7% from grazing lands of Nyabikulungo, Kagenyi and Rubwera villages. Alongside road; 36.7%, 73.3% and 90% were determined from Nyabikulungo, Kagenyi and Rubwera respectively. The percentage frequency of parthenium weeds from crop lands of Nyabikulungo, Kagenyi and Rubwera were 53.3%, 63.3% and 80%. Abundance of parthenium weeds were 9.3, 9.2 and 10.9 from grazing lands of Nyabikulungo, Kagenyi and Rubwera; 5.3, 5.6 and 6.4 from alongside road and 2.3, 3.2 and 8.0 from crop lands at Nyabikulungo, Kagenyi and Rubwera. The present study clearly indicates rapid invasion and spread of parthenium weed has species in three villages of Kyerwa district. There is a need to develop appropriate measures to contain the further spread of this aggressive weed in other areas of the country.

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