CHAKWAL: Due to incessant rains, cold temperature and uncertified seed, almost all varieties of wheat cultivated in Potohar region have come under rust disease attack.

Besides, heavy rain coupled with hailstorm in some pockets of the area on Saturday also destroyed mustard crop which was ready for harvesting.

Potohar region consists of Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Jhelum and Attock districts.

Officials in Punjab Agriculture Department told Dawn that except for Bari 2017 which was introduced last year by Barani Agriculture Research Institute Chakwal all other varieties of wheat seed had contracted the disease.

However, a visit by this correspondent to fields showed that old indigenous wheat variety called “Rodi” was also immune from the disease but due to too little production this variety was cultivated on a small scale.

Leaf rust has affected almost all varieties except Bari 2017, says official

According to an American website dealing with agriculture science, there are three kinds of rust diseases - leaf rust, stem rust and stripe rust.

“Rust diseases represent the most economically significant fungal diseases in wheat and other cereal crops worldwide, and they are widely distributed across wheat growing regions,” the website ‘cropscience.bayer.us’ said, adding the rust diseases having the capacity to form new strains of fungus and can attack even previously resistant varieties. As such diseases possess the ability to spread and travel long distances by dispersal of wind-borne spores and can rapidly develop under optimal weather conditions.

“In Potohar region, the wheat crop is under the attack of leaf rust which has almost affected all varieties except Bari 2017,” Director General Punjab Agriculture Extension Dr Anjum Ali Buttar told Dawn on Saturday.

“The most disturbing aspect of current situation is that Pakistan 2013 which was the latest variety prepared as rust resistant has also been affected by the invasion of leaf rust,” he added. He also said rust had also been witnessed in other areas of Punjab like Gujranwala and Sialkot.

The current attack of rust is feared to turn more destructive if heavy rainfalls occurred in the next few days as Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast more rains from Monday to Wednesday in Punjab.

“The disease occurred due to unusual heavy rains in January, February and particularly in March which caused too much moisture and kept the temperature colder while uncertified wheat varieties also played major role in inviting the disease,” said Dr Buttar.

He regretted that almost 80pc of farmers in Potohar Region did not bother to get certified seed rather cultivated homegrown seed which was in practice for the last many years.

“Every year the freakish weather occurring due to climate change tide is challenging recommended varieties,” he added.

Farmers in Potohar are worried while seeing their wheat crop turning its leaves yellow at a time when they are supposed to be green.

“The crop was blooming but now the colour of its leaves have turned yellow which means a considerable loss in the yield could be witnessed,” said Mumtaz Kahoot, a grower from Janga village.

Deputy Director Chakwal Agriculture Department Mohammad Jafar Imran feared 15 to 20pc loss in the affected areas.

“The disease can be controlled through fungicide but it is not recommended when plants have beards,” he maintained.

The current attack of rust coupled with changing pattern of weather has posed a new challenge to scientists.

“The need of the hour is to replace all the existing seed varieties with new ones which must be more resistant towards rust and heavy rains,” proposed Dr Buttar.

He also recommended putting a ban on Chakwal 50 and Pakistan 2013 which have become vulnerable to rust.

Talking to Dawn, Dr Azeem Tariq, the director of Barani Agriculture Research Institute Chakwal, said a new wheat variety was being prepared in accordance with the current challenges and would be introduced next year.

“Every variety of wheat seed is prepared in accordance with weather but unfortunately we are witnessing an unusual weather for the last a couple of years,” Dr Tariq added.

The freakish weather also posed threat to the crop of gram which is also under attack of a disease called blight while heavy showers poured during last three days particularly on Saturday when some areas of Potohar Region were battered by unprecedented hailstorm along with torrential rain have also almost eliminated mustard crop which was ready for harvesting. However a damage assessment is yet to be done at official level, but farmers told Dawn that the mustard crop has been badly hit while wheat also been affected.

“I never witnessed such kind of hailstorm in my life”, said Habibullah, a farmer from Peera Fatihal village of tehsil Talagang.

“Hailstorm and rain caused irredeemable loss to farmers,” he added.

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2020