Experts apprise farmers of yellow rust disease

Tribune News Service
Jalandhar, February 8

The Agriculture Department made farmers aware of the symptoms of ‘yellow rust’ disease on wheat during a farmer awareness camp held at Rahimpur village, falling under the Jalandhar (west block) of the district under ‘Tandarust Punjab Mission’.

Experts, including Agriculture Development Officer Dr Surjit Singh; and Deputy Project Director, Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA) Dr Vipul Chabra; detailed the farmers aware of the yellow rust.

They said: “The yellow rust is a disease that causes losses in crop yield and disease appears as yellow coloured, powdery linear stripes on the leaves.”

They asked the farmers to regularly monitor their wheat fields and in case of symptoms of yellowing on wheat leaves, they must spray their wheat crop with 200 ml per acre Propiconazole.

They said: “The present weather conditions including temperature, high humidity and strong winds are favourable for yellow rust disease.”

“ Farmers should keep a close vigil on the fields and if symptoms of the dieases appeared, only spray should be done without any delay,” added the experts.

The experts told the farmers to visit the fields of wheat which were sown with ‘Happy Seeder Technology’ for getting the experience of this technology for next year.

Officials of the department stated that the district had around 1.69 lakh hectares of area under wheat cultivation. The field staff of the department is extensively touring the fields to maintain constant inspection of the situation in their areas.

Views of experts

• Experts asked farmers to regularly monitor their wheat fields and in case of symptoms of yellowing on wheat leaves, they must spray their wheat crop with 200 ml per acre Propiconazole. Farmers should keep a close vigil on the fields and if symptoms of the diease appeared, only spray should be done without any delay.