Foot rot disease in Basmati in Punjab

Ludhiana, July 27 (UNI) Foot rot disease has been observed in Basmati, particularly the Pusa-1121 variety in certain areas of Kapurthala, Ropar, Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur districts of Punjab.

Confirming this Punjab Agricultural University's (PAUs) Head, Department of Plant Pathology, Dr H S Rewal said that foot rot is a problem in Basmati rice particularly on variety Pusa-1121.

Regarding the control of this disease, Dr Rewal said that it had come to the notice of PAU that farmers are spraying various pesticides for its control. The application of pesticide would not check the disease at this stage.

Rather it can be checked by using disease-free seed and by uprooting the abnormal and elongated seedlings from the nursery before transplanting, he advised while pointing that this method had been demonstrated in certain areas of Moga district.

He said that rouging of infected plants from the field would help check the spread of the disease.

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