The pigeon pea crop (tur or arhar) in Hingoli, Maharashtra has been damaged by 'Mar' infection. As per officials, precautionary measures are being taken to curb the spread.
The infection causes the crop to dry-up, causing losses to farmers.
Farmers instructed on precautionary measures
Taluka Agriculture Officer Balaji Ghadge has asked farmers to spray the crops with copper oxychloride to prevent the Mar infection.
Ghadge has also asked the farmers to uproot the infected crop and not to plant pigeon pea in the infected area next year as well.
"Mar infection has been seen in pigeon pea crop in some areas in Hingoli. We have asked farmers to spray copper oxychloride. We have also told farmers to uproot the infected crop and to not plant pigeon pea in the infected area next year," Ghadge was quoted saying.
Farmers unhappy with authorities
Meanwhile, farmer Vilas Gite of Singi Naka in Dengan here said his crop has been destroyed when it was ready for ripening.
"However, no official from the agriculture department has contacted us so far," he alleged.
Pigeon pea is a perennial legume from the Fabaceae family and is widely grown in South Asia.
(with PTI inputs)
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