Tomato crop on 1,000 acres hit by late blight attack in Sanaur, says report
Mohit Khanna
Patiala, December 21
Two days after a team from Punjab Agricultural University, Central Integrated Pest Management (CPIM), Jalandhar, and State Horticulture Department, visited late blight affected fields in Sanaur, the team today submitted its report confirming 70 to 80 per cent of crop loss in nearly 1,000 acres due to fungal attack in 11 villages. The report was today submitted before the Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney.
On the report’s basis, girdawari and harvest inspections will be carried out in the villages and compensation for the crop loss will be calculated. In the meantime, a team under the supervision of Sanaur sub- divisional magistrate (SDM) also submitted a preliminary report to the DC about the area affected by late blight attack.
The team, led by Assistant Director (Horticulture) Sandeep Grewal, Krishi Vigyan Kendar (KVK) in-charge Gurupdesh Kaur and Ankit Kumar from CPIM, had visited Fatehpur Rajputa, Asarpur and Lalena villages on Tuesday to check the late blight attack on tomato crop.
According to Horticulture Development Officer (HDO) Navneet Kaur, the villages, including Fathepur Rajputa, Asarpur, Khudda, Kartarpur, Boser Khurd, Nur Kherian, Lalena, Piunia and Sanaur, suffered crop loss. “Maximum amount of damage to the crop — over 80 per cent — was witnessed in Fatehpur Rajputa and Asarpur,” she said. Himshekhar, a popular variety of tomato among farmers, has suffered the maximum damage. Sources in the department said the delay in identifying the fungal attack and delay in the use of fungicide, led to the excessive damage.
The late blight attack, caused by fungus phytophthora infestans, is the most prevailing disease damaging tomato crop, and can result in crop failures in a short period if appropriate control measures are not adopted. For nearly a month, the night temperature has remained between 10 to 20 degrees Celsius with humidity close to 100 per cent. Besides, rain and fog was also witnessed during the period. Such conditions are most favourable for the spread of the disease.
