April 20, 2006
From: ProMED-mail<promed@promedmail.org>
Source: Ndtv.com [edited]
<http://www.ndtv.com/morenews/showmorestory.asp?category=National&slug=Blight+outbreak+hits+J%26K+farmers&id=87087>

Blight outbreak hits J&K farmers

Bhisham Das, 80, is trying to come to terms with the loss he suffered after his potato crop was completely ruined by blight. For several years, farmers in the border areas could not grow anything because of the intermittent firing between Indian and Pakistani forces. The army's de-mining operations further impeded their work. Now when the fields could finally be cultivated, crops have been hit by the deadly disease. "After the cease-fire, we sowed potatoes and thought that we will get a good crop, but that was not to be," said Das. Another farmer, Joginder Pal, has resorted to spraying his fields in the hope of saving any potatoes untouched by blight. He blames the seeds for the disease. "The gave us the seed of Himachal, which is a sub-standard seed. We were kept in the dark. They had told us that they will give us good seeds, but they didn't keep the promise. We could not even get back the money that we had invested," said Pal. Meanwhile, the department of agriculture has blamed the weather for the plight of the farmers. The seeds, it says, were fine.

The department has proposed that from next year [2007] the potato crop be brought under crop insurance in the state. But for now, the department is trying to provide some interim relief by further subsidizing fertilizers and new seeds. "I have no agreement with the farmers to provide compensation. But at the same time, we can give relief, and if the government has some package, we will try and give them relief," said Farooq Hakak, director of agriculture, Jammu.

For farmers in the Valley already dealing with war, firing, mines and earthquake, this has come as yet another setback.

[byline: Zaffar Iqbal]

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ProMED-mail
<promed@promedmail.org>

[The crop plant potato (_Solanum tuberosum_) develops symptoms of the disease late blight when infected by the fungus _Phytophthora infestans_. Late blight is one of the main diseases of potato worldwide.

The Kashmir town of Srinagar and the surrounding areas are routinely troubled by border issues between India and Pakistan and were severely affected by the earthquake of October 2005. The 300 km long Srinagar-Jammu national highway, the only road link between Kashmir valley and the rest of the country, was reopened for traffic in February 2006. This article puts a human face on plant diseases, and it was for this reason that I chose it.
It speaks for itself.

Map: Srinigar <http://www.tageo.com/index-e-in-v-24-d-m2931584.htm>
Pictures: Potato tuber
<http://ipm.cornell.edu/nysipm/publications/blight/images/6.jpeg>
Potato leaves and shoots
<http://www.plantpath.wisc.edu/wivegdis/images/vdu%20potato%20lb.jpg>
Links: <http://www.apsnet.org/online/feature/lateblit/>
<http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040202/j&k.htm#1>  - Mod.JAD]

[see also in the archive:
Late blight, potato - USA (AK), Bangladesh 20060324.0911
2005
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Potato late blight - USA (AK) 20050901.2580
Potato late blight - UK (England, Wales) 20050630.1846
2004
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Potato late blight, tomato - USA (multistate) 20040817.2279
Potato late blight - USA (Idaho) 20040729.2071
Potato late blight - Ireland: 1st report 2004 20040602.1499
2003
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Late blight, potato - Papua New Guinea 20030306.0554
2002
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Potato late blight, potato - Canada (Newfoundland) 20020818.5091
2001
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Phytophthora infestans, potato late blight - Russia 20010620.1177 Phytophthora infestans, potato late blight - Russia 20010430.0840 2000
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Potato late blight, global research efforts 20001031.1903
Potato late blight: global initiative 20000516.0765
Potato late blight, etiology: Correction 20000330.0473
Potato late blight, etiology 20000325.0432
1997
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Potato late blight: global initiative 19970117.0092
1996
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Potato late blight: global threat 19960617.1123
1995
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Potato blight - USA (4) 19951219.1291
Potato blight - USA (3) 19951218.1278
Potato blight - USA 19951215.1265]