With heavy rains lashing Telangana over the last two weeks, farmers growing cotton and red gram face threats from parawilt and phytophthora, respectively.

Cotton, which has been sown on over 60 lakh acres in the State, is vulnerable to parawilt, a physiological disorder, due to prolonged waterlogging of the fields.

This is not caused by any fungi or bacterial attack, explains R Jagadeeshwar, Director (Research) at the Prof Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU).

Pointing out that the present weather conditions are conducive for parawilt, he advises farmers to drain the water out of the fields as early as possible as prolonged waterlogging could deny the plant vital nutrients since it damages the root system.

Blight attack

He says there is a possibility of phytophthora blight attack on red gram, which is sown on over 10 lakh acres. Farmers have gone for additional acreage after the State government advised them to grow more of it and not to grow maize this kharif.

The State grows red gram on about 7.5 lakh acres in the rainy season.

The phytophtora blight too is caused by excessive water and absence of sunlight.

Farmers should ensure there is no waterlogging in the fields to let the plant protect its root system. Left unattended, this problem could cause severe damage to the crop.

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