Paddy dwarf disease will not affect healthy plants: Punjab Agriculture University

udhiana, Sep 1 (PTI) Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) vice chancellor S S Gosal on Thursday asked paddy growers not to fear the rice dwarf disease as it is unlikely to infect healthy crops.

The dwarf disease has appeared more in early transplanted paddy than those planted after June 25. Farmers should not worry at all as the healthy plants will not turn dwarf now, said K S Suri, principal entomologist, PAU.

The affected plants are not deep rooted at present and can be uprooted easily, he advised.

As per the latest survey conducted by the entomologists of PAU, stunted plants have been observed in rice and basmati fields due to the southern rice black-streaked dwarf virus (SRBSDV).

In some fields, due to the severe attack of this disease, some plants were dead and some were stunted with height remaining one-third from half in comparison to the normal plants.

According to scientific reports published in other countries, SRBSDV is transmitted by the nymphs and adults of white-backed plant hopper (WBPH).

“As there is no control measure for this dwarf disease, farmers are advised not to spray any agro-chemical. Once stunted, this disease cannot be managed with any of the agro-chemicals,” said Suri.

This is the first time that SRBSDV, which was first reported in 2001 from southern China, has been detected in Punjab. PTI