A total of 49,665 hectares of land have been taken under maize cultivation in Chuadanga district this season. Of the total cultivated land, maize has been harvested on 5,521.05 hectares with expectation of sufficient production, according to source of Chuadanga Agriculture Extension Department.
It is learnt from Agriculture Extension Department, about 15,210 hectares of land have been cultivated in sadar upzila, 13,755 hectares in Alamdanga upzazila, 14,500 hectares in Damurhuda upazila and 6,200 hectares of land in Jibannagar upazila.
The source added, in the meantime about 28,290.6 metric tons of maize have been produced from 1825.2 hectares of land in Sadar upazila, 14924.17 metric tons of maize from 962.85 hectares of land in Alamdanga upazila, 33,712.5 metric tons of maize from 2,175 hectares of land in Damurhuda upazila and 8,649 metric tons of maize from 558 hectares of land in Jibannagar upazila, out of total cultivation. Younus Ali of village Hazrahati in Chuadanga said, he cultivated maize on 1 bigha of land this season, hoping that huge production may be from his field.
Ashraful Islam Dulal of village Belgachhi in sadar uapazila said, production of maize may be fall this year due to drying up leaves at his maize fields. Mozibur Rahman, a farmer of Islampara in sadar uapzila told this correspondent, he harvested maize his 10 kathas of land on March 25 at village Hazrahati but production of maize will not sufficient this year. It may be mentioned here that ‘Fusarium Stalk Rot’ disease has attacked maize plants in Chuadanga district from a few days back. Early cultivated maize has started harvesting.
It is learnt from Agriculture Extension Department, lower stem of maize plants becomes soft and eventually collapses. Then stems, leaves and roots of Maize plants have been drying up in the fields. This disease is called ` `Fusarium Stalk Rot’. Maize on 25 hectares of land has been attacked in the district.
If anybody pulls out slightly the plant of maize, it comes up from the ground. Additional irrigation and application of pesticides have been used in the fields, but no positive result. Meanwhile spreading the disease from one field to another field. The farmers are in fear of loss for it, sources added.
Chuadanga Sadar Upazila Agriculture Officer Afrin Binte Aziz said that the disease has suddenly attacked in the maize fields. Farmers are advised not to panic, but to clean the soil and use good fungicides.
Additional Deputy Director (Plant Protection) of District Agriculture Extension Department, Kaysar Iqbal said, Fusarium Stock Rot is a fungal disease. The symptoms of this disease are-the leaves of the affected plants become discolored, the plants dry up and turn gray.
Plants die when immature.
Deputy Director of Agriculture Extension Department Bevash Chandra Saha said, Fusarium Stalk Rot is a destructive disease. The infection of this disease can cause up to 100 per cent damage to the yield. He also said, it is soil, seed and airborne disease. The department arranged awareness program on the disease with farmers.