Aman turning yellowish in Rangpur
AED officials said leaf blight disease due to lack of potash and TSP
An Aman field infected with leaf blight disease at Mominpur in Rangpur Sadar upazila.Photo: STAR
Aman plants in many areas of Rangpur are turning yellowish and withering away, shattering farmers' hopes. Aman fields in eight upazilas in the districts are showing the symptoms, farmers and agriculture officials said. Officials of Agriculture Extension Department (AED) said the Aman fields could be attacked with leaf blight disease, which may be due to less use of potash fertiliser. The fields are also attacked with brown leafhopper. Most farmers could not use potash fertilizer in the current Amon crop due to high price of the ingredient, they said. Less than proportionate use of potash weakens the plants and make them susceptible to attack by leaf blight and brown hopper, they said. Instead of pricey potash and TSP (triple super phosphate), farmers used heavy doses of urea. Excessive use of urea in Aman fields encouraged brown leafhoppers to attack plants, they said. “We are advising farmers to use five kilograms of potash immediately to save Aman fields from the diseases,” said Sirajul Islam Siraj, assistant agriculture officer in Kounia upazila while talking to this correspondent yesterday. When contacted, DAE Deputy Director in Rangpur Kamal Shariuzzaman said, “We are aware of the attack by diseases and pest. Field workers and officials are advising farmers what to do”. He however said the situation is still under control. About 1,58,000 hectares were brought under Aman cultivation this season in Rangpur, DAE sources said. Abed Ali of Lakhmitari under Gangachara upazila said Aman on his five bighas are turning yellowish and in some places plants withered away. Udoy Chandra Barman of Rajendrapur in Rangpur Sadar upazila said his three acres of Aman have turned brown. Both the farmers said no DAE field official visited their areas.
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