Yellow rust detected in Kurukshetra villages
The fungal disease has been detected in some villages of Babain block, farmers alerted
KARNAL:ň Yellow rust, one of the most damaging diseases for wheat crop, has been detected in some villages of Kurukshetra. Farmers have been alerted in this regard.
As per officials of the agriculture department, yellow rust has been detected in some villages of Babain block in Kuruskhetra district.
Farmers have been asked to keep close monitoring of the crop and take immediate measures to control the spread of the deadly fungal disease.
The officials added that this year, the disease has been reported around 15 days early and said that fluctuating temperature is the reason behind the disease.
Assistant plant protection officer Anil Kumar said that yellow rust has been detected and farmers have been told to take remedies as the prevailing weather conditions may boost spread of the air-borne disease.
For the past couple of years, yellow rust is detected in Kurukshetra and later it spreads in nearby districts.
Kaithal agriculture department deputy director Karam Chand said, “Soon after we came to know about yellow rust in Kurukshetra, we sounded alert in district and sent a team of officials for inspection and to guide farmers about its control measures.”
He added that farmers are aware of symptoms and ways to control the disease. He said that farmers have been asked to inform the department if they detect yellow rust in their fields.
Dr Narender Goyal, of the Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Damla, said that yellow rust is a fungal disease characterised by powdery yellow stripes on plants.
He said that temperature between 15°C and 20°C with humidity above 80% helps yellow rust spread.
As per agriculture scientists, the ongoing period is very crucial for the crop as it is in the tillering stage.
They said that the disease results in fewer spikes, loss in number of grains per spike and affects grain weight.
They have advised farmers to spray a solution of Propiconazole 25EC (tilt) or Tebuconazole 250EC (folicur) on the crop to control spread of yellow rust.
The development may worry farmers as they were expecting a bumper crop this year due to early arrival of winter and favourable weather conditions persisting for the past couple of months.