Automatic weather station set up to detect spread of leaf spot disease

Mangaluru: Leaf spot disease usually spreads rapidly to areca trees through the air due to increased rainfall and its moisture. Excessive rain and climate change are also reasons for the spread of this disease. In this context, an automatic weather station has been installed in grower Subrahmanya Prasad's areca garden in Sullia taluk for study purposes. This will enable the study of how much rain occurred, humidity, temperature, and how leaf spot disease spreads due to climate change, said Dakshina Kannada MP Capt Brijesh Chowta.Under the central govt's Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), a special demonstration led by the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute (CPCRI) has been set up at Guthigaru in Sullia taluk to control leaf spot disease that is widespread in Dakshina Kannada.The MP said that he has taken the leaf spot disease affecting areca crops in Dakshina Kannada district seriously, and is making sincere efforts to implement permanent and scientific solutions. He visited the gardens of Subrahmanya Prasad and surrounding areca growers along with CPCRI Kasaragod K Balachandra Hebbar, Campco president Satishchandra, and agricultural scientists, to gather comprehensive information on the nutrient and scientific method-based demonstrations implemented for controlling leaf spot disease.The MP said that to protect areca growers in the district from this disease, he has been prioritising scientific remedies. Accordingly, a study on nutrients and scientific methods is being conducted under the guidance of CPCRI Vitla regional station at Guthigaru village in Sullia, including Subrahmanya Prasad's one-and-a-half acres areca garden, and a total of six acres of surrounding areca farmers, he said."Since last June, scientific measures have been implemented in all these gardens, with regular monitoring and data collection on leaf spot disease affecting areca crops, and supplementary studies are being conducted through demonstrations. Additionally, agricultural scientists are visiting periodically to guide farmers on preventive measures to be taken in areca gardens to control leaf spot disease," said Chowta.The MP said he also consulted with agricultural scientists, experts, and farmers from the CPCRI and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to gather information on the progress of this research.
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