Paddy Dwarfing

Image Source - The Indian Express

In Punjab and Haryana, a strange illness has struck the paddy crop, "dwarfing" the plants.
The 'Southern Rice Black-Streaked Dwarf Virus' (SRBSDV), so named after Southern China, where it was initially discovered in 2001, has been identified as the mystery's cause by scientists.

Paddy Dwarfing

Rice dwarf disease is characterised by plant stunting and the formation of white chlorotic spots on the leaf.
The height of the stunted plants was reduced from half to three-quarters of the height of the normal plants.
These plants were simple to remove because of their shallow roots.
Nearly all of the cultivated types in the farmers' fields contained these plants.
Plant dwarfing was often observed at 10% to 25%, but in rare cases, it exceeded 40%.
Regardless of variety, the incidence of stunting was more evident in paddy crops that were sown early.

Southern Rice Black-Streaked Dwarf Virus (SRBSDV)

Origin:

Named after Southern China, where it was originally discovered to be the disease-causing factor in 2001 and where it was first reported.
Regardless of variety, the incidence of stunting was more evident in paddy crops that were sown early.

Impact:

In rice fields that were seriously infected, the diseased plants began to wither.
The height of the stunted plants was reduced by between half and three-quarters compared to the normal plants.
These plants were simple to remove because of their shallow roots.
In the farmer's fields, these plants were seen in practically all of the farmed types.
White-backed plant hoppers (WBPH) are the primary vectors for the chronic circulative and propagative transmission of the SRBSDV.
Due to the virus's ability to spread more effectively in nymphs of WBPH than in adults, SRBSDV not only affects rice but also several weed species.
WBPH's ability to migrate with typhoons and powerful convection winds may allow for the long-distance spread of this virus.

Prevention

Insecticides can be applied toward the base of the plants if WBPH nymphs or adults are observed floating on water.
Farmers should periodically check the crop for the presence of WBPH and a few plants should be slightly tilted and tapped 2-3 times at the base at weekly intervals because there was no cure for the viral disease

Insecticides like Pexalon 10 SC (triflumezopyrim) @ 94 ml/acre, Osheen/Token 20 SG (dinotefuran) @ 80 g/acre, or Chess 50 WG (pymetrozine) @ 120 g/acre can be sprayed at the base of the plants if WBPH nymphs or adults are observed floating on water

Also, Read - One Nation One Fertilizer

Source: The Indian Express

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