Eichhornia crassipesis a floating water weed which has spread throughout the globe in water bodies. It is commonly known as water hyacinth and its vernacular names in India are buti and Jalkumbhi. It is an aquatic agressively invading plant which can multiply from 2 to 120,000 plants in 120 days. This aquatic weed has a very flexible range from 12°C to 38°C. This weed is responsbile for heavy evapotranspirational losses of water apart from other threats thereby degrading and destorying water bodies.
Phaeoacremonium itali cum(#8BJSSL) and Diplodia mutila (#19BJSSL) were reported as pathogens to Eichhornia crassipes for the first time in the world. Further, culture filtrates of #19BJSSL and #8BJSSL were evaluated for their phytotoxic potential by in vitro leaf puncher assays wherein #19BJSSL exhibited significantly higher phytotoxicity. A novel formulation (HyacinthchekTM) was developed which was evaluated in tank trials. This formulation is under patent process.