Dry cold, frost pose threat to mustard in Hisar region

Deepender Deswal

Hisar, January 13

The prolonged session of dry cold wave and frost in the fields is posing a threat to the mustard crop, which is at the flowering stage in the region, including Hisar, Sirsa and Bhiwani districts.

Agriculture scientists said though the frost and foggy conditions were favourable for the wheat crop, it was not suitable for mustard. “The mustard is at the flowering stage and the frost can damage the plants. If there is a spell of rain during the winter, it will benefit the mustard and other rabi crops,” stated an official of the Agriculture Department. He said if the extreme winter continued for another fortnight, it would damage the mustard crop.

According to an official, there are some reports of white rust in mustard in Sirsa district. However, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agriculture University has issued an advisory that the farmers should keep close observation for fungus on the mustard crop these days, especially early or late-sown mustard crops.

Vice-Chancellor Dr BR Kamboj stated that mustard was a profitable rabi crop for farmers. “Farmers can easily prevent diseases by identifying any kind of fungus or disease in mustard on time. There can be an outbreak of many types of diseases in the early and late mustard crop. ,” he said.