E-Paper
Dwarfing disease in paddy: No evidence to suggest massive crop loss, says PAU vice-chancellor
Vice-chancellor of Punjab Agriculture University Dr SS Gosal says that virus causing massive crop loss would be vague assessments as there is no evidence to suggest crop yield would drop drastically and result in causing severe economic loss to the farmers
While farmer unions and opposition parties are demanding compensation after paddy crop was hit by dwarfing disease, the vice chancellor of Punjab Agriculture University (PAU) Dr SS Gosal maintains that virus causing massive crop loss would be vague assessments as there is no evidence to suggest crop yield would drop drastically and result in causing severe economic loss to the farmers. The observations were made after Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) demanded chief minister (CM) Bhagwant Mann should announce a compensation of ₹20,000 per acre to farmers whose paddy fields had been infested with Southern Rice Black Streaked Dwarf Virus (SRBSDV) commonly referred to as dwarfing disease.
“Currently we are projecting the damage around 7%. And there is a reason for it. When a plant suffers from stunted growth the healthy plant compensates the loss as it gets more area to produce additional yield. The crop is near maturity and we may start receiving the results by the third or last week of September,” said Dr Gosal.
Dr Gosal has asked the paddy growers not to be afraid of the dwarf disease which has appeared for the first time in the state. He said in layman language the paddy crop was hit by an unknown virus, similar to that of COVID-19 among humans. However, we have identified the vector and suggested farmers control it,” said Dr Gosal.
The Agri university has created informative videos in which experts are teaching farmers how to identify the crop and keep a check on the population of white backed planthopper, which operates as a vector and leads to the spread of disease in paddy crops. According to the scientific reports published in other countries, SRBSDV is transmitted by nymphs and adults of white backed plant hopper. “As there is no control measure for this dwarf disease, therefore farmers are advised not to spray any agro-chemical. Once stunted, this disease can’t be managed with any of the agro-chemicals,” said Suri. Farmers should not worry at all as the healthy plants won’t turn dwarf now, he added.
