Date:03/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/03/stories/2008090358041400.htm

National

India prepares against stem rust threat

Gargi Parsai

Nobel laureate Norman Borlaug declares the disease a ‘global threat’

NEW DELHI:To prevent any occurrence of the stem rust fungal disease in wheat (Ug99) that has rapidly spread in parts of the African continent and beyond, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has formed a special team to survey and monitor the summer wheat crop in parts of the country.

The team, , will monitor the summer wheat crop and track down Ug99 disease or its variants. A new version of the popular variety PBW 343 (sown in Punjab and Haryana) which is reported to possess in-built resistance to Ug99 is also being acquired from the International Centre for Agricultural Research in Dryland Areas (ICARDA), Syria, for its seed multiplication and utilisation in the country.

“An idea of the threat potential can be ascertained from the fact that nearly 80 per cent of all wheat varieties cultivated in Asia and Africa are susceptible to UG99 stem rush,” ICAR Director-General Mangala Rai said.

Matter of Concern

Historically, stem rust has been the most destructive disease of wheat and barley and has inflicted heavy losses worldwide, some times to the tune of more than 40 per cent loss as in America. The organism is a fungus called puccinia graminis tritici originated in Uganda. In India, its impact has been minimised through genes that prevent the fungus from causing any harm to the crop.

Not only did it spread quickly, but it also generated newer variants to break the resistance of the varieties grown in the region. This quick spread and ability to generate variant forms in the African continent and beyond is a matter of concern for the global wheat community prompting Nobel laureate Norman Borlaug to declare it as a ‘global threat’.

India’s Concern

In India trap-nurseries are raised to monitor any stray infection of the disease. So far any presence the Ug99 or its variants has not been noticed in the country. The ICAR, in collaboration with International Wheat and Maize Research Centre (CIMMYT), Mexico has initiated a testing program of wheat at Njoro in Kenya since 2005. Tests have shown that there are many Indian wheat varieties that are resistant to Ug99 and its variants.

Accordingly, the resistant wheat materials are being multiplied and provided to wheat breeders for further research. As an immediate relief measure, chemical control technology is also available to ensure that this race does not spread and cause damage.