UMERKOT, Sept 28 The onslaught of 'reddening' or 'red-leaf-disease' and fusarium fungal diseases on cotton coupled with acute shortage of water and irrational use of pesticides have dealt a deadly blow to the crop standing on thousands of acres in the district.

The red-leaf-disease or its local equivalent Garh Pani has been attacking the crop in this water starved area for the past ten years but no one has taken serious measures to find out its causes and prevent its spread.

Umerkot's EDO (agriculture) Ali Haider Jarwar said that cotton had been cultivated on 22,000 hectares as against its target of 27,000 hectares in the district, but shortage of water, a rotation programme with long intervals and recent untimely rains had done it great harm.

He estimated the damage at 30 to 35 per cent while his subordinates believed the loss might stand at 75 per cent. Shortage of water had done more harm because the crop, which required water on the 8th day of cultivation for better germination, received water after two months interval.

A peasant who was spraying his crop with pesticide said that he did not know which pesticide he was using but he had applied it twice without any result.

Fauji, a grower, said that he and his colleagues had spent a huge amount on developing soil, getting seed, acquiring water through lift machines and using fertiliser and pesticides but failed to reap a good turnout.

They picked only 4 to 6 maund (40 kg) cotton in the first round, he said, adding their expenses had gone down the drain after attack of red-leaf-disease.

The EDO said that his department could not handle the disease because it suffered from acute shortage of staff. Of five posts of DDOs three were vacant, of 20 posts of agriculture officers 13 were vacant, of 62 posts of field assistants 30 were vacant, he said.

Growers and agricultural experts of the area blamed climate change, poor quality of seed, lack of organic materials, unavailability of experts and laboratory in the district for poor production of the crop.

The EDO said that he had to call experts from the Sindh Agriculture University Tandojam and a team headed by agriculture research officer Mohammad Qasim Memon visited Umerkot 15 days ago. It collected samples to identify causes of the red-leaf-disease, he said.

The agriculture extension wing is responsible for facilitating growers in increasing crop yield by assisting them in land selection, crop selection, land preparation, seed selection, sowing time, sowing methodology, balanced application of fertilisers, proper application of irrigation, weeds control, proper use of insects, pests and disease identification and management and harvest.

It is also responsible for introducing new and high-yield varieties of seeds resistant to pests, insects and diseases, which can grow at less water but nothing of the kind has been done in the disease-hit area. The Sindh Seed Corporation did not set up any sale point in Umerkot this year to supply healthy and high-yield seeds to growers.

The officials of agriculture department blamed landlords for the losses. Due to lack of education, they committed mistakes in soil levelling, selecting quality seeds bought without recommendation and consultation with agricultural experts, use of fertilisers and pesticides and organic materials, they said.

DDO Hussain Bux Khaskheli said that the department has set up farmers' field schools in 2002 for integrated pest management in cotton, mangoes and chillies but they failed to bear fruit because of lack of interest by landlords.

The 'red-leaf-disease' is a mysterious cotton disorder known as bronze wilt elsewhere in the world. It first appeared in the USA, Brazil, Argentina, and Bolivia during the hot summers of 1995, 1996, and 1998.

The disease causes death of feeder roots and of phosphorus and potassium deficiency in tissues. Its common symptoms include wilting, reddening of stems and leaves and fruit shed, and a higher temperature of the leaf tissues.

The fusarium graminearum can cause root rot and seedling blight. It is a kind of fungus, which attacks roots and causes sudden death of the plant.