Punjab Agricultural University decodes paddy stunting mystery

Tribune News Service

Manav Mander

Ludhiana, August 26

Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) scientists have decoded the mystery of stunted growth of paddy plants. According to the experts, southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus (SRBSDV) is the real cause behind it and the university has constituted a five-member committee to investigate the cause behind this rising trend.

Agri Varsity’s advisory

• Monitor paddy crop regularly for the presence of white-backed plant hopper (WBPH). Tilt few plants slightly and tap 2-3 times at the base at weekly intervals. WBPH nymphs, if present, will be seen floating on water
• Spray insecticides at the base of the plants on observing the WBPH; farmers should follow the transplanting dates advised by the PAU since stunting was observed to be more in early transplanted crop

Dr Satbir Singh Gosal, Vice Chancellor, PAU said: “The incidence of SRBSDV is the first viral disease in the state. It is caused by a double stranded RNA virus that was first reported in 2001 from Southern China. The symptoms produced on the rice as well as the genome structure of this virus resembles with that of rice black streaked dwarf virus, but as this virus was first reported from the southern China, this virus was named as southern rice black streaked dwarf virus. In addition to paddy, it also infects different weed species.”

Dr AS Dhatt, Director of Research, PAU, said the virus was transmitted by white-backed plant hopper (WBPH) in persistent circulative and propagative manner. Nymphs of WBPH can transmit SRBSDV more efficiently as compared to their adults. Long distance transmission of this virus may occur through WBPH migrating with strong convection winds. The viruliferous WBPH nymphs and adults may transmit SRBSDV to rice plants at different growth stages.

Since there is no corrective measure for the viral diseases, hence the only way out is to adapt preventive measures for managing the vector of this viral disease, added Dr Dhatt.

The PAU committee members said the analysis of soil and plant samples collected from the affected fields showed no relationship of stunting with nutrition deficiency.

Meanwhile Dr Rajbir Singh, Director, Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute (ATARI), who was the co-leader of the team formed by Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, said the stunting incidence has been observed to be associated with date of transplanting as it was more in June 15 to 25 transplanting as compared to the crop transplanted after June 25. Same observation was made by the PAU team as well.

“In Punjab, the problem was found more in Kandi areas than in plains. In Haryana, the problem is seen more in areas like Yamunanagar, Ambala, which are in the Shivalik foothills and have climate like that of Kandi areas in Punjab,” he said.

Farmers in Punjab and Haryana reported stunted growth of paddy a month of transplanting or direct seeding of rice.

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