The Punjab Agricultural University weather experts today cautioned farmers about the development of pathogens of late blight of potato considering the prevailing weather conditions ( temperature 10- 26 degrees, humidity 60- 90%) apt for the outbreak of this disease.

In a recent surveillance conducted by the Department of Plant Pathology, PAU, the symptoms of late blight of potato have been reported in fields of Villages Rajpur Bhaiya and Rihaana Jattan of Hoshiarpur district. The Head of Department of Plant Pathology, Dr Narinder Singh has advised farmers to keep surveying their fields and make use of recommended fungicides like Indofil M 45/Entrakol/ Mas M 45/Markzeb/ Kavach 500-700 grams or Mark Copper/ Copperoxychloride 50 WP 750-1000 gram per acre has to be sprayed at weekly intervals after mixing in 250- 350 liters of water. Dr Narinder Singh further warned that if conditions of rain, cloudy weather or fog increase during winter season, with temperatures between 10 to 20 degrees centigrade, there could be a sudden attack of late blight of potato. Farmers must note that the cultivated varieties of potato in Punjab are not resistant to this disease.