Yellow rust on 1,666 acres in Yamunanagar

Tribune News Service

Yamunanagar, March 4

Yellow rust has been detected this rabi season on wheat crop spread over 1,666 acres in Yamunanagar, causing anxiety among farmers about drop in yield.

As per a report of the Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, 310 cases were detected in Saraswati Nagar block, 293 in Chhachhrauli, 268 in Sadhaura, 259 in Bilaspur, 247 in Pratap Nagar, 175 in Jagadhri and 114 in Radaur.

According to information, the fungal disease was found in several varieties of wheat, including HD 2967, Super 231 and HD 3086.

Dr Surender Yadav, Deputy Director, Agriculture, said he and other officers of the department had been visiting fields affected by yellow rust.

“Yamunangar district is prone to yellow rust as it falls in the foothills of the sub-Himalayan region. Yellow rust reduces the yield of the crop. We have been visiting villages and advising farmers to inspect their fields daily,” said Yadav.

He said they were asking farmers to spray propiconazole in affected fields. “If there are signs of the disease, fungicide should be sprayed without any delay,” said Yadav.

Virender Kumar, a farmer in Jaidhar village, said yellow rust had hit his eight-acre wheat crop and he had to spray propiconazole twice to control the disease. “The disease is under control now, but will affect the yield adversely,” he said.

“Yellow colour on leaves is not always yellow rust. If turmeric-like powder appears on fingers or white cloth after rubbing the infected leaves, it is yellow rust. Farmers should spray propiconazole in affected fields,” said Rakesh Kumar Jangra, Assistant Plant Protection Officer.