Malaysia: Killer weed discovered in Malacca, Johor - Agriculture Department

TASHNY SUKUMARAN The Star 11 Dec 14;

PUTRAJAYA: The invasive weed Parthenium hysterophorus has now been discovered in Malacca and Johor, said Agriculture Department director-general Datuk Ahmad Zakaria Mohd Sidek.

This brings the total number of affected states to six, with Negri Sembilan, Kedah, Selangor and Perak previously reporting infestations.

"So far, more than 1,500 P. hysterophorus plants have been found spread around Johor, although the number could be higher," Ahmad Zakaria said.

"As we discover more infestations or if the public comes forward to inform us of infested areas, we will update our figures," he said at a press conference here on Thursday.

He said that the Department would be meeting experts and scientists next week to further discuss methods of controlling the outbreak.

The P. hysterophorus has been dubbed the “worst weed of the century”, destroying native flora and crops, causing rashes that can leave humans permanently scarred and damaging the intestines of animals that eat it.

It was first detected here in September last year in Ulu Yam, Selangor.

Initial accounts show that the plant has even resisted attempts to control it through weedkillers.

A species of flowering plant native to Mexico, it can cause severe skin disease and hayfever in humans.

It is also toxic to livestock such as goats and cows, causing fevers, ulcers, anorexia and intestinal damage, and can quickly replace native flora by releasing toxic substances, causing massive crop loss.

Similar in appearance to ulam raja, P. hysterophorus is classified as a dangerous pest under the Plant Quarantine Regulations 1981 and can quickly propagate.

Ministry: Take proper action to weed out harmful plants
TASHNY SUKUMARAN The Star 11 Dec 14;

PETALING JAYA: The Health Ministry has appealed to the relevant authorities to weed out the allergy-triggering Parthenium hysterophorus weed as it poses a risk to human health.

“Appropriate action should be taken to control or eradicate weeds or plants that can adversely affect the health of the public. The people should refrain from getting into contact with the weed,” Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said in a statement.

Although there has been no increase in cases of rashes or respiratory-related issues such as asthma in the states affected by P. hysterophorus, the ministry cautioned those who had been exposed to the weed to seek treatment immediately.

“There is no trend of increasing patients with skin allergies or respiratory symptoms such as asthma reported from health facilities in the affected states like Perak, Selangor and Negri Sembilan.

“We advise those who suffer from allergies or respiratory symptoms from exposure to this weed to immediately seek treatment at health facilities and inform the treating medical practitioner of their history of exposure,” he said.

The ministry said groups at risk of allergic reactions were those who were directly exposed to the weed, particularly children and the elderly.

“However, not all who are exposed suffer allergic reactions or allergies. Some people experience symptoms only after continuous and repeated exposure. Symptoms of allergic reactions include skin rashes or peeling, itchiness, puffy eyes, and allergic rhinitis and respiratory system disorders such as colds and asthma.”

The ministry assured the public that it was closely monitoring the situation.

The Star had earlier reported that P. hysterophorus, also known as “the worst weed of the century”, was mushrooming across various states in Malaysia.

Believed to have been spread by the import of animals from weed-infested nations, the Veterinary Department has been tasked to source animals from non-infested areas for importation.

All state agricultural agencies have been informed of P. hysterophorus, which does not only harm humans but also severely impacts agriculture, livestock and natural ecosystems.

Killer weed cases mushrooming
TASHNY SUKUMARAN The Star 12 Dec 14;

PETALING JAYA: More people are coming forward to report Parthenium hysterophorus infestations since The Star’s report on the menace was published earlier this week in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture’s (DOA) outreach efforts.

Within just a few days, P. hysterophorus has been discovered in Johor and Malacca, bringing the total number of affected states to six.

In just a week, more than 1,500 P. hysterophorus plants have been discovered around Johor.

“We will update our figures as we discover more infestations or receive more reports from the public,” said DOA director-general Datuk Ahmad Zakaria Mohd Sidek at a press conference here yesterday.

Statistics released on Nov 26 noted a mere 4.8ha were infested nationwide, but data released just over a week later showed 28.28ha, nearly a six-fold jump.

While the DOA cannot predict how widespread the infestation truly is as public awareness is in its infancy, it has pledged to update its data fortnightly.

DOA is working overtime to era­dicate the noxious weed which is harmful to both humans and animals as well as crops, and is collaborating with several agencies.

“We have already asked the Department of Veterinary Services to import livestock from farms with no trace of the weed,” he said.

It is believed that P. hysterophorus, sometimes referred to as “congress grass” or Santa Maria feverfew, was transported to Malaysia via imported livestock.

“Unfortunately, we do not know when it was first brought here as the seeds can lie dormant for up to 10 years,” said Ahmad Zakaria, who revealed that the department would press on with intensive protective measures, including herbicide sprays for up to five years.

“This is an ongoing operation and we have to remain alert,” he said.

On biological controls such as the Parthenium beetle, which eats the weed before it can flower; or growing competing species that will vie with the weed for nutrients, DOA Plant Biosecurity Division director Faridah Aini Muhammad said caution had to be in place.

“We will be meeting scientists and researchers next week to discuss the next step. We have to be wary of simply bringing in fo­reign insects as we don’t know what effects they will have on our ecosystem,” she said.

Currently, the main methods to remove the weed, which can also cause intestinal damage to ruminants and allergic reactions in humans, are pulling it out, using herbicides, or spraying a saline solution (one part salt to four parts water).

Currently, known infestations are in Negri Sembilan, Selangor, Johor, Malacca, Kedah and Perak.

Killer weed found in six Perak districts
MANJIT KAUR The Star 14 Dec 14;

IPOH: The highly-allergenic par­thenium hysterophorus, described as the “worst weed of the century”, has been discovered in six districts in Perak.

State Agriculture Department (DOA) director Zabidi Dun said the weed, locally known as Rumpai Miang Mexico, was discovered in Kinta, Hulu Perak, Perak Tengah, Kuala Kangsar, Manjung and Larut, Matang and Selama districts.

He said the department, together with the locals which included farmers, were taking measures to destroy the weed, found in 44 locations.

“We have set up a committee to look into the matter,” said Zabidi.

“After the issue was highlighted in the media, people have been calling us to provide information,” he said yesterday.

“In Perak, the weed has been found in residential areas, farms and grazing fields,” said Zabidi.

“Some people may have unknowingly used the weed for landscaping purposes.”

Last week, The Star reported that the weed had encroached on grassland in Malaysia, causing allergic reactions in people.

Believed to have been spread by the import of animals from weed-infested countries, all state agricultural agencies have been alerted of the P. hysterophorus, which does not only harm humans, but also severely affects agriculture, livestock and the natural ecosystems.

Zabidi warned the public to be careful of the weed.

“It looks like the ulam raja. The flowers of the weed are white and small.

“The ulam raja has pink and bigger flowers,” he pointed out.

“The leaves of ulam raja has a scent to it. This weed has none.”

‘Herbicide not a long-term solution’
TASHNY SUKUMARAN The Star 15 Dec 14;

PETALING JAYA: As the Agriculture Department shifts into high gear in locating and eradicating the invasive weed Parthenium hysterophorus, some quarters have warned the authorities against relying too heavily on herbicides.

Universiti Putra Malaysia’s Dean of the Agriculture Faculty Professor Dr Abdul Shukor Juraimi said herbicides were not an effective method for the long-term as P. hysterophorus could develop resistance to the chemicals used.

“Chemicals are not good for the environment in the long term. Besides P. hysterophorus developing resistance, some herbicides can also affect the ecosystem,” he warned.

The active ingredients in the weedkiller used by the DOA are glyphosate, atrazine or metribuzin.

The use of atrazine, which has been banned in the European Union, has raised some eyebrows as studies have shown it can contaminate drinking water and alter natural hormone levels in animals and humans.

Dr Abdul Shukor, who is currently working with the authorities and other academics on control methods, said that as atrazine could “stay for quite long in the soil”, it should not be used frequently.

“It takes a while to leave the ecosystem, so we must calculate how frequently it can be used. We will work hard to come up with safe controls.”

He said his team was looking at biological controls such as fungal diseases to control and eventually root out the weed.

Dr Abdul Shukor added that the DOA was working with the Department of Veterinary Services to track cattle imports over the years to see where the weed might have spread, as it is believed that P. hysterophorus was transported to Malaysia via imported livestock.

The Pesticide Action Network Asia and Pacific (Panap) also highlighted their concerns over the use of herbicides.

“Despite having encountered the problem a year ago, the authorities have resorted to destroying the plant by increasing the dosage instead of using an integrated approach to weed management, including non-­chemical alternatives,” said its executive director Sarojeni Rengam.

Sarojeni warned that relying on toxic pesticides would increase human exposure and promote pest and weed resistance.

She said Panap’s research over the years had shown that pests targeted with chemicals quickly developed resistance and subsequently required higher and higher doses.

“Inadvertently, this causes a drastic impact on the delicate ecological balance in the environment, as well as harming other living organisms including human beings,” she added.

No herbicide used to rid killer weed in populated areas
TASHNY SUKUMARAN The Star 18 Dec 14;

PETALING JAYA: The Department of Agriculture will not be spraying herbicides, including the chemical atrazine, in populated areas to get rid of the toxic invasive weed Parthenium hysterophorus.

Plant Biosecurity Division director Faridah Aini Muhammad told The Star that atrazine, which has been criticised by Pesticide Action Network Asia and Pacific (Panap) due to its potential to linger in groundwater, was only used in unpopulated areas.

“We spray a herbicide mix of atrazine, glyphosate and metribuzin in no-man’s land. If the weed is found around homes or business premises, we use manual methods (pulling it out by hand) or spray it with a salt water solution,” she said.

Faridah also said the recently discovered P. hysterophorus infestation in Kampung Tunku, Petaling Jaya, had been tackled.

“We sprayed weedkiller at the cemeteries that were affected,” she said.

The weed has also been discovered in Ranau, Sabah, bringing the total number of affected states to nine.

The others were Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Malacca, Johor, Perak, Kedah, Perlis and Penang.

In just five days, reports of P. hystero­phorus have flooded the Department of Agriculture.

Statistics showed that 35.6ha of land was infested nationwide, a seven-fold jump from 4.8ha in the early days.

Faridah told The Star that a task force had been set up to search for biological agents that suppress the weed and that they hope to see results by next year.

“By March, we hope to have a variety of methods at our disposal, including biological agents,” she said.

It is believed that P. hysterophorus, sometimes referred to as congress grass or Santa Maria feverfew, was transported to Malaysia via imported livestock.