Fungal diseases in crop worry paddy growers

The paddy crop affected by ‘brown spot leaf’ disease at Jasseana village in Muktsar district. A Tribune photograph

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, October 11

Already bearing the brunt of the whitefly attack on cotton crop, ‘brown spot leaf’ and ‘neck blast’, both fungal diseases have spelled fresh trouble for farmers. Worried, paddy growers have sought the help of the agriculture department to save their crop.

PUSA 1401, also called Muchhal Basmati, is the worst hit from the fungal diseases as compared to PUSA Basmati 1121 and PUSA Punjab Basmati 1509. The crop, which is expected to get ready for harvest in next two to three weeks, has changed its colour, developing black or brown spots on leaves. The neck blast disease is further wilting leaves, killing them prematurely.

“We have sprayed fungicide twice and the crop is expected to mature in the next 15 days. However, it is adversely affected by ‘brown spot leaf’ disease. I visited the agriculture department to get the experts’ advice on saving the crop from the disease. The situation is grim and experts must visit the fields to minimise the losses of farmers,” said Harinder Singh Sidhu, a farmer from Jasseana village.

Experts in the district agriculture office admitted that the fungal diseases had caused damage to the growing paddy crop, especially basmati. An agriculture officer said, “I have recently sprayed fungicide in my own fields to save it from further damage due to ‘neck blast’ disease. At this stage, the neck blast can damage the crop by 10-15 per cent as it stops the growth of panicle. If the crop has to take two or more weeks to get ready for harvest, we are advising famers to spray fungicide in their fields.”

Dr Beant Singh, Chief Agriculture Officer, Muktsar, said: “As many as 16 teams have been formed in the district to advice the farmers. The temperature is four to five degrees above normal, which has caused the problem. We are advising farmers to spray fungicide where the crop will mature after nearly three weeks. If the crop is expected to get ready for harvest in 10-12 days, the spray is not helpful. It will only increase their expenditure.”

Courtesy: The Tribune