A large number of paddy fields have been attacked by neck blast in Ulipur upazila of Kurigram. -AA
Farmers in Ulipur upazila of Kurigram are in a gloom as they wont' be able to produce Boro paddy this season due to a massive attack triggered by a destructive fungus called neck blast.
Paddy growers expected bumper yields in the current Boro cultivation. Neck-blast fungus has invaded the paddy fields. According to the advice of the agriculture department, no remedy is achieved even after applying various pesticides.
However, according to agronomists, unfavorable weather and excessive use of urea-magnesium in the soil have led to this situation. According to the Agriculture Office, the target has been set to cultivate 22,176 hectares of land in 13 unions of 1 municipality of the upazila during the current Boro season. Of these, 14,106 hectares have been cultivated with Ufshi, 7,920 hectares in different varieties of hybrid and 150 hectares of land with local variety of paddy.
However, outbreak of neck-blast fungus has occurred in 2.45-hectares of paddy field cultivated with BR-28 paddy variety. Rice is rotting at the base of the sheaf. The fungus is spreading rapidly from one field to another through unfavorable weather and wind. As spraying various fungicides are not working applied according to the suggestion of the Department of Agriculture, the marginal farmers have lost their hope to save their paddy fields. Upazila Agriculture Officer Saiful Islam said, leaflets were being distributed among farmers as an awareness campaign in different areas through backyard meetings. Advices have been given to spray fungicides in approved doses in the field, he added.
--- Rukunuzzaman Manu in Ulipur
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