The experts from Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) had cautioned farmers against the late blight disease attack on potato crop.
Key points
- In a full-blown attack by the late blight disease, more than 50% potato crop in the fields has suffered extensive damage leading to heavy losses for the farmers who had opted for diversification instead of growing wheat after paddy.
- Potatoes were rotting in the field even before farmers could harvest them.
- Late blight is a fungal disease which, if not properly managed in time, can damage the entire potato crop.
- The first symptoms of late blight appear as small, light to dark green, circular to irregular-shaped water-soaked spots.
- During cool, moist weather, these lesions expand rapidly into large, dark brown or black lesions, often appearing greasy. A pale green to yellow border often surrounds the lesions.
