Karnal: Sugarcane farmers are likely to avoid cultivating the Co-0238 cane variety as it is found frequently infected with top borer insects, reports The Tribune.
The high-yielding variety of cane has been prevalent since 2011 and was helping farmers to increase their income.
Around 70% of the area under cultivation of the Co-0238 variety of cane is likely to get reduced due to the attack of top borer insects and red-rot disease on the crop, as per the experts. Farmers prefer other varieties for better production.
“This variety has now become susceptible to top borer insect and red-rot disease and we are trying to educate farmers to tackle these diseases,” said Dr SK Pandey, Director of Sugarcane Breeding Institute, Regional Centre.
“We have advised farmers to apply chlorantraniliprole at collar drenching that would help in controlling the spread of these diseases,” he said.
