Take steps to protect wheat crop: Experts

Alarmed over the presence of fungal disease ‘yellow rust’ in wheat in three districts, the Punjab Agricultural University on Monday asked wheat-growers to take measures to protect their crops.

‘Yellow rust’ had turned into an epidemic in 2008-09 and result in crop loss by two to six quintals per acre in sub-mountain areas of Punjab.

In a survey conducted by the university, the fungal disease has been detected in Patti, Dher, Surewal, Fatehpur, Daula Taprian and Fatehgrah Viran villages in Rupnagar district.

The disease has also been detected in Chhadhauri and Jagatpur villages of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district. “It has also been found to affect crops in Baghpur and Pungha Blak villages in Hoshiarpur district,” said TS Thind of department of plant pathology at the university.