Hamirpur farmers report yellow rust in wheat crop

Hamirpur, February 24

Farmers in the district fear losing wheat crop, following the outbreak of yellow rust in some areas. The fungal disease has been reported in several villages, including Bahal, Sadhwan, Lahar Kotlu, Sera, Jasai, Khatrod, Bara, Rangas, Rail and Feste.

Experts’ advice

• The fungal disease appears in form of yellow stripes on wheat leaves
• Experts advise farmers to spray Propiconazole fungicide solution in the affected fields
• Organic farmers should spray a solution made of one litre of lassi with 20 litre of water in intervals of 10 days

Farmers of these villages had informed the authorities of the Agriculture Department in the district about the outbreak and wanted an early action to control the disease and prevent it from spreading further.

A team of experts visited these villages on Tuesday to access the crops and observed that the disease was in its initial stage. Yellow rust on wheat crop is caused by a fungal pathogen, Puccinia striiformis and appears in the form of yellow stripes on wheat leaves.

Atul Dogra, Deputy Director of Agriculture, says the experts, who visited the affected villages, observed that two to seven per cent crop was infected with the disease. They advised the farmers to spray the Propiconazole fungicide solution in the wheat fields, if they notice yellow rust on the crop. Farmers following organic farming should spray a solution of one litre lassi with 20 litre water in intervals of ten days, adds Dogra.