The importance of disease control in Maximisation of Food Production
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Author:D. MARUDARAJAN
p-ISSN:0024-9602, e-ISSN:2582-5321, Vol:38, Issue:feb-feb
DOI: https://doi.org/10.29321/MAJ.10.A04398
Abstract
All of us realise only too well that the needs of our nation for a good many years to come, are going to depend very much on the amount of food and other raw materials we can grow in our country. In many ways, in spite of all our efforts, the position is justas serious as it was in the immediate post-war years. This paper will indicate briefly the heavy toll taken by the various 2 crop diseases and the niethods adopted to check or control them, that may attain the maximum yields for the crops grown in this country. Crop diseases cause in some years considerable losses to the
farmers. Exact statistical data as maintained by other countres
like the U. S. A. are not available in this country. Still there are
some approximate estimates in regard to certain important diseases.
The smut of sorghum was reported to be responsible for a loss of
over one crore of rupees in the Bombay Province alone before
control measures were undertaken. The loss from this disease in
this State also used to be very high. The rusts of wheat reduce the
yield to the tune of 10 crores of rupees. In our State the blast
disease of rice is often severe in Nellore and Tanjore districts, reduc-
ing the yield by 50%. In other diseases like the Mahali of arecanuts
and fruit-rot of oranges the entire yield may be wiped out in some
years if proper precautions are not taken. These instances illustrate
the enormous losses in food material and other products caused by
plant diseases.
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