Diseases and Crops
Q. Which of the following diseases/pests and crops is/are correctly matched?
1) South American pin worm - Tomato
2) Fusarium wilt - Banana
3) Spiraling whitefly - coconut- Published on 16 Dec 16a. 2, 3
b. 1, 3
c. 1, 2
d. All of the above
ANSWER: All of the above
Pests of Plant, continue to be one of the biggest constraints to food and agricultural production. They cause on an average an annual loss of more than 40 percent of the world’s food supply, thus posing a threat to our food security.
Country has recently witnessed emergences and or acclimatisation of destructive invasive pests and diseases like South American pin worm on tomato; Western flower thrips on flowers; Tropical race of fusarium wilt on banana, spiraling whitefly in coconut, whitefly in cotton, etc.
To thwart any possibilities of biosecurity threat to Indian wheat due to emergence of stem rust race UG99 in Africa, India acted proactively to screen varieties against the pathogen in Kenya. As a result number of UG99 resistant varieties deployed in the country and prevented occurrence of epidemic.
During 2015-16, immediately after an invasive wheat blast disease destroyed large acreage of wheat in Bangladesh, India sent 40 wheat genotypes to CYMMIT for screening against blast in South American countries where the disease is prevalent.
