COIMBATORE: Farmers in Annur and Mettupalayam taluks are worried over the spread of sigatoka leaf spot disease in banana plantations. The disease destroys the functional green tissues of the leaves, resulting in the drastic reduction in photosynthetic area and reduces yield. Farmers have urged the district horticulture department to take immediate preventive measures to save the crops.
P Chinnasami, a farmer from Dasampalayam said, “I cultivated nendran variety of banana in my eight acres of land, which is a 13-month crop. The crop is in the 8th month now, and the entire area is infected. The disease has resulted in premature ripening of fruit which affects the quality.”
“In one acre of land up to 700 plantains have been planted and I spent Rs 200 on each plant as input cost including sapling, fertilizer and wages. The disease started spreading in the last one month,” he said, adding Rs 3,000 was spent on measures to control the spread of the disease. S Mohanraj, another farmer, said leaf spot disease has spread across two acres in his three-acre plantation.”I have spent around Rs 1.50 lakh as input cost for an acre. I have lost hope of getting back the amount. The government should provide compensation,” he said.
Gomathi, assistant director of the horticulture department, admitted that the disease has spread rapidly in recent days. “We are initiating control measures such as removal and destruction of affected leaves. Keep the banana field weed free, avoid planting at close spacing, provide proper drainage and avoid water logging in the fields which favours infection. Spray Carbendazim 0.1% or Propicanozole 0.1 % or Mancozeb 0.25% and teepol at an interval of 10-15 days,” she said.