Yellow rust a threat to wheat crop in Mandi, Kullu

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, February 21

Yellow rust is emerging as a threat to wheat crop in Mandi and Kullu districts these days as it is spreading fast and likely to damage crop. In Mandi and Kullu districts considerable portion of agriculture land is under wheat crop cultivation. There are reports that at a few places in Mandi and Kullu district, yellow rust has already started affecting crop.

Farmers of both the districts have apprised officials of the Agriculture Department about the menace. They are seeking advice of agriculture scientists as how to control spread of yellow rust to save wheat crop.

Yellow rust is a kind of disease in wheat crop, in which leafs of the crop turn yellow. It directly affects the production of crop.

In Kullu district, the agriculture department has constituted an invigilation committee to maintain vigil over yellow rust. The committee members will visit the field to assess the situation and they guide the farmers accordingly.

Rajpal Sharma, Deputy Director, Agriculture Department, Kullu said that in lowers parts of the state, yellow rust is spreading rapidly. The possibility of the disease outbreak in wheat crop in Kullu district is also high these days because of rising temperature.

“Hence, farmers are advised to mix 60 ml propikonazol fungicide in 60 litre water and sprinkle it in one bigha land, where wheat crop is cultivated. This will play a crucial role in checking yellow rust. The farmers should be pro-active in identifying the disease at an early stage. Generally, the leaf of wheat crop turns yellow and it develop kind of ulcers. It affects wheat crop production drastically”, he remarked.

He urged the farmers to contact officials of the Agriculture Department in time whenever they notice symptoms of this disease till March. The officials of the department would visit fields to detect the disease and advise them accordingly.

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