Ambala: The top borer disease in sugarcane is causing losses to farmers of Naraingarh and Shahzadpur areas in Ambala district, reports Tribune India.
According to information from the Agriculture Department, nearly 250 acres of sugarcane have been infected by this disease, and the maximum losses have occurred in the CO 0238 variety, as it is more extensively cultivated.
“Top borer is injurious to sugarcane as it damages the plant and stunts its growth,” says Rajiv Kumar, a sugarcane farmer from Hasanpur village. “The top borer insect has affected my almost four-acre sugarcane crop. As the crop has reached a good height, it was tough to use spray on the sugarcane.” The disease has affected sugarcane crops in several villages of Naraingarh and Shahzadpur.
This has increased the requirement for spraying to control the disease, hence adding to the production costs for farmers.
Deputy Director of Agriculture Dr Jasvinder Singh Saini confirmed the situation, stating, “Top borer has affected sugarcane crops on nearly 250 acres in the Naraingarh and Shahzadpur areas. Farmers can use drones to spray medicine on the affected crops if they have grown tall. However, there is no need for farmers to panic as the disease is under control.”
