Dehra Dun, November 1
After various means of eradication and control of the noxious weed- parthenium hysterophorus, commonly known as congress grass, failed in the country the scientists of Forest Research Institute (FRI) here have finally evolved a high-value end use of it in the form of handmade paper, particle and fibreboards.

The commercial viability of these products however is yet to be tested but this aspect calls for a serious consideration at the government or NGO-level, given the scale of the menace and failure of the widespread campaigns against it all over the country. Especially so, because the end products are free of allergic behaviour that this weed is notoriously known for.

“We have not experienced any allergic properties after processing the weed into bio-composites at the temperature of 150°C and high pressure,” said DP Khali, an expert of composite wood, who along with Sanjay Nathani worked on the three-year-long project commissioned by Department of Bio-Technology (DBT), Delhi.

The project was taken up as earlier efforts to eradicate the weed through biological, chemical and manual ways had failed. So the idea of finding its economic use came up. The efforts of the FRI scientists have showed that the products can have plenty of use like false ceilings, partitioning, table tops and cabinets. The findings of the study will be presented at Bhartiya Vigyan Sammelan to be held at the end of this month at Bhopal.

Though Khali said the commercial part of the products’ viability was beyond their domain and was to be explored by the related experts, on the face of it, the procedures evolved by the scientists suggest it may suit the small-scale and cottage industries.