The Hindu : Karnataka News : ‘Blight’ ruins potato crop

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Friday, Aug 10, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka

‘Blight’ ruins potato crop

Staff Correspondent

The disease spreading quickly in potato farms in Hassan district

At first, leaves develop spots that resemble due drops
They gradually turn black, affecting the stem

RUINED: Potato crop at Haralahalli village in Hassan taluk, which is hit by blight disease.

HASSAN: What was feared has happened. Farmers who have sown Rajasthan Potato seeds in hundreds of acres of land in Hassan taluk are now worried because the entire crop is affected by dreaded blight disease (angamari) and within one day crop turned black.

According to agriculture experts, it is a viral pest that affects crops in hundreds of acres quickly.

In Hassan district, potato is a major commercial crop grown in more than 1 lakh acres of land in Hassan district.

Good price

Farmers paid Rs. 1,500 for a 60-kg packet of potato seeds that were brought from Rajasthan. This is a popular variety because it is ideal for making potato chips.

Honne Gowda, who had sown potato in a 10-acre area in Haralahalli, said first he found spots on the leaves that looked like due drops. Within a day, they turned brown and black spots. “Suddenly, white fungus grew beneath the leaves and the leaves started fermenting. All this happened within 48 hours.

Hopes dashed

“The disease spread to the stem and the entire crop. It is emitting foul smell. Who will buy this potato? “I have no hope of getting even 10 per cent yield. The only remedy is to remove the entire crop and prepare the land again for sowing,” Mr. Gowda added.

Potato is grown in Hassan, Chennaraypatna, Holenarsipur, Alur, parts of Belur and Arakalagudu taluks. Most of the farmers have used potato seeds from Rajasthan.

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