Paddy crop in over 1,500 hectares of land in the district has been infected with ‘blast disease’, popularly known as ‘benki roga’.
It may be mentioned here that paddy was cultivated on 74,900 hectares of land in the kharif season in the district this year. Madhusudan K., Joint Director of Department of Agriculture, told The Hindu the infection was reported in Sagar and Sorab taluks where paddy is cultivated under the drill sowing method. The fungus that causes the disease initially infects the aerial and root tissues of paddy saplings and then enters the plant’s vascular system and blocking supply of water and nutrients. The infection spreads through water and air. The colour of the infected sapling turns to ash from green, he said.
Heavy rainfall
The climatic variations the region is experiencing in the the past ten days may have caused the problem. The high amount of rainfall and humid conditions in the region is conducive for the growth of the fungus that causes blast disease, Mr. Madhusudan said.
He added that the farmers have been told to spray tricyclozole or carbendazim fungicide on the infected saplings. Pamphlets containing information on the methods of mixing the tricyclozole or carbendazim with water and spraying it have been distributed among the farmers in villages where the infection was reported. The department will take due measures to avoid the spread of the disease. He expressed confidence that the situation would be brought under control once the rain lessened.
