Farmers Should Control Wheat Kungi Timely: Agri Experts

Muhammad Irfan Published February 23, 2021 | 03:27 PM

Agriculture experts advised growers to control wheat Kungi (rust) timely by using spray of fungicides and other tactics approved by the scientists

FAISALABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Feb, 2021 ) :Agriculture experts advised growers to control wheat Kungi (rust) timely by using spray of fungicides and other tactics approved by the scientists.

A spokesman for the agriculture extension department on Tuesday said that Kungi was a fungal disease when it attained favorable weather conditions, it attacked the immune-o-deficient species and caused a decrease in the yield.

He said although wheat crop was attacked by a number of diseases yet Kungi was the most dangerous.

He said that there were three types of Kungi disease which attacked the wheat crops in Punjab. He said that Brown Kungi attacked wheat crops almost all the districts of Punjab equally and in case of an epidemic of this disease, the yield was significantly reduced.

The optimum temperature for its spread was 15 to 22 degrees Celsius.

He said the second type of Kungi was called yellow Kungi which attacked usually in the northern and some central districts of Punjab, including Faisalabad to Rawalpindi.

However, some times its attacked was witnessed in all over the Punjab due to climate change.

He said that the optimum temperature for growth of yellow Kungi and its epidemic condition was 12 to 20 degrees Celsius. The disease usually attacked leaves but the stakes were also affected.

The third type is called Black Kungi. Though this type is not considered more dangerous for wheat crops in Punjab, yet its attack has been found in many parts of the country except Hyderabad and Kaghan Valley since 2006-07.

He said that the wheat crop could be protected from Kungi disease in various ways. However, it is the best way for crop protection against Kungi that farmers should cultivate disease resistant and approved varieties of wheat, including Ujala-2016, Pakistan-2013, Millat-2011, Aas-2011, Faisalabad-2008, Fakhar-e-Bhakkar, Bhakkar Star, NARC-2011, Johar-16, Anaj-17, Markaz-19, Akbar-19, Ghazi-19, Zankul and Borlag-16.