Gorkha. In Gorkha, paddy crops planted in about 400 ropanis of land have been affected by the disease. Crop Protection Officer of Agriculture Knowledge Centre, Abba Dutta Bista, said that maruwa disease has been found in paddy crops planted in three wards of Palungtar municipality of the district.

The disease has spread to the paddy crop planted in about 410 ropanis of land in Ward No. 4, 6 and 8 of Palungtar. Officer Bista informed that the paddy plants have dried up in these areas due to the disease.

“After the farmers informed the knowledge center, a team of agricultural technicians reached the field and studied the disease,” he said. Maruwa disease is a type of fungus pest found in rice crops. He said that the disease can be controlled if fungicides are used in time.

Maruwa disease has been detected in the area, especially in the paddy crops of Gorakhnath, Savitri and Mansuli varieties. Officer Bista said that there was no outbreak of Maruwa disease in ram paddy planted in the same area. The disease has also been detected in paddy crops in Palungtar Municipality-4 and 6. According to him, the disease has been detected in about 10 ropanis of paddy fields there.

Bista said that it is believed that 50 percent of the paddy crop can be saved as fungicides have been provided to the farmers of the diseased areas and ‘sprayed’. “There is a problem if the farmers do not take special care of paddy seeds from the time they buy it,” he said. ’