Herbicide overuse could cause yellow leaves too: Expert

Cap: A leave showing yellowishness due to herbicide at the farm of KVK Ambala City.

Box: Signs of yellow rust

Yellow rust is a fungal disease that manifests as powdery yellow stripes on leaves. These hinder photosynthesis, make the grain shrivel up and stop plant growth

It was reported over 8 acres of wheat in Hussaini and Danoura villages of Naraingarh block in Ambala district last month and from some parts of Yamunanagar

Elaborating upon yellow rust signs, Dr Balwan Singh Mandal of the Krishi Vigyan Kendra at Ambala said farmers will observe a yellow powder on the leaves and it will leave colour on the hand or any cloth it touches

Farmers must contact the KVK or Agriculture Department in case of doubt. Crops must be sprayed immediately with propiconazole to avoid further spread, he said.

Nitish Sharma

Tribune News Service

Ambala, February 3

After some cases of yellow rust were reported in wheat crop in the state, an expert has said that yellowing of leaves doesn’t necessarily signify a fungal attack and could be the result of herbicide overdose.

Dr Balwan Singh Mandal, senior coordinator of the Krishi Vigyan Kendra at Ambala, said there could be several reasons behind yellowing of leaves, including overdose of herbicide to control phalaris minor, soil salinity and lack of sunlight. Allaying farmers; fears he said affected plants will return to normal with the passage of time after getting ample sunlight.

“Phalaris minor is a major weed in wheat crop in the state. Herbicides were not able to control the weed as it became resistant over the years. Last year, Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agriculture University recommended using sencor along with other herbicides to control phalaris minor. We observed farmers used sencor in excess and this is the prime reason behind the yellowing of leaves,” he said.

Mandal said against the recommendations of 50 gm sencor with herbicide in 200 litre water, farmers have used 150-350 gm. “Since the weather remained foggy in January and encouraged weed growth, farmers ended up overusing the herbicide, affecting older leaves. There is no need to panic and the overdose will not impact new leaves. The plant will get normal after getting ample sunlight,” he said. About 87,400 hectares is under wheat in Ambala this season.

Dr Mandal said Jalbera, Bara, Balana, Sullar and Chandsoli were some of the villages where overuse of sencor was observed. He emphasised that farmers must grow only recommended wheat varieties.

Yellow rust was reported over 8 acres of wheat in Hussaini and Danoura villages of Naraingarh block in Ambala district last month. Deputy Director Agriculture Ambala Girish Nagpal, said, “After the two cases in Hussaini and Danoura, no fresh case has been detected in Ambala. Farmers have been advised to keep a close watch on the crop and inform the department immediately.”