A month ahead of the wheat-harvesting season, experts have warned that yellow rust could dampen the prospects of a bumper output in Punjab and Haryana.
Farm experts also cautioned that rain, along with overcast conditions, is highly favourable for the fast spread of yellow rust, a fungal disease that attacks the leaves of crop by forming yellow stripes and affecting photosynthesis activity, and ultimately results in shriveling of grain size.
In the latest survey conducted by the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), this disease has started appearing even in Punjab's plain areas, including Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Patiala and Sangrur districts.
The disease has already damaged the winter crop in sub-mountain areas of Ropar, Nawanshahar, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Fatehgarh Sahib districts, the study noted. Neighbouring Haryana has also witnessed the attack of yellow rust in Yamuna Nagar, Ambala, Kurukshetra and Karnal.
Punjab and Haryana contribute over 60 per cent each of wheat output to central pool. Both states during current season are expecting wheat output of 269 lakh Metric Tonne (MT) in Rabi season 2010-11, up by 5 per cent over last year’s production.
"Yellow rust can cause severe damage to the crop as the prevailing weather conditions are quite conducive for the multiplication of disease," PAU plant pathologist T S Thind said.
Another expert said the overcast conditions, if prolong, could delay in maturing of the crop.
"At this stage, wheat requires sunshine for grain formation... If the current weather (rain and overcast conditions) continues, it may cause delays in the maturing of crop," PAU Agri-meteorologist K K Gill said.
Agricultural scientists advised farmers to continue monitoring of wheat crop and apply recommended fungicide to prevent bad effects on the crop.
"If farmers find symptoms of yellow rust disease on crop, they should go for spot application of the recommended fungicides immediately to check the further spread of this disease," said Thind.
In mid-February, rains accompanied by hailstorm had hit the wheat crop over 4,000 acres of land in several areas of Punjab. Wheat is sown in November and December and it is harvested in April.
Punjab and Haryana targeted of area under wheat at 35 lakh hectares and 24.75 lakh hectares respectively for Rabi season 2010-11.
Punjab projected wheat production of 154 lakh MT against 151.69 lakh MT output achieved in last season.
Haryana has revised its target to achieve wheat output of 115.09 lakh MT in current season, which will be almost 10 per cent higher than wheat production of 105 lakh MT.
