ZCZC
BSS-07
WHEAT-BLAST-CONTROL (with picture)
Concerted efforts to check wheat blast stressed
RAJSHAHI, Nov 10, 2018 (BSS) – Agricultural scientists and researchers at
a workshop here called for a collective efforts of all government and non-
government organisations for boosting wheat production through freeing the
cash crop from blast infection ahead of next season.
They told the meeting that wheat blast, a deadly fungal disease in wheat,
emerged in the country for the first time in last couple of years ago,
causing significant loss in production in some districts. Average yield loss
in an affected field was 25 to 30 percent, but in severely infected fields it
reached up to 100 percent.
So, scientists, researchers and agriculture extension officials concerned
should come forward and work together to protect the wheat farming from being
affected by the deadly disease for the sake of ensuring the country’s food
security, they said.
They came up with the statement in the regional workshop styled “Wheat
Blast Disease Management and Way Forward for Boosting Wheat Production” in
Rajshahi today.
Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute (BWMRI) organised the
workshop at its regional station in association with CRP and CIMMYT.
Director General of BWMRI Dr Naresh Chandra Deb Barma and Director (On-
farm Wing) of Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) Dr Abdul Muid
addressed the workshop as the chief and special guests respectively with
BWMRI Principal Scientific Officer Dr Ilias Hossain in the chair.
Additional Director of DAE Mustafizur Rahman and its Deputy Director
Monjurul Huda, BWMRI Senior Scientific Officer Dr Mahfuz Bazzaz and Project
Director of Barind Multipurpose Development Authority Rafiqul Islam also
spoke.
In his keynote presentation, Mostofa Ali Reja, Principal Scientific Officer
of BWMRI, said wheat blast is a seed borne disease and through seed the germ
can go from one place to another.
He added that they don’t have any definite evidence regarding the medium
through which the disease has come to Bangladesh.
In his remarks, Dr Naresh Barma called upon the scientists and experts to
work together to solve the blast problem giving it a top priority and
increasing wheat production in this region.
More than 65 scientists, researchers and DAE officials joined the workshop
and took part in its open discussion devising ways and means on how to check
the deadly wheat blast effectively.
BSS/AH/GMR/1335 hrs