#AGRICULTURE ■ IARI: New virus behind mystery dwarfing of ri | UPSC Environment Ecology PSIR

#AGRICULTURE

■ IARI: New virus behind mystery dwarfing of rice-

Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) has confirmed mysterious disease resulting in “dwarfing” of rice plants, reported mainly from Punjab and Haryana, has been caused by the Southern Rice Black-Streaked Dwarf Virus (SRBSDV).

● The Virus:

Spread by the white-backed plant hopper, an insect pest, which injects it while sucking the sap from mostly young plants.

Presence was detected both in the infected plants and the body of the vector insect, whose RNA was isolated.

Not found in the seeds collected from the infected plants.

Specific to the phloem and is not transmitted by seed or grain
Survey

Areas Surveyed: Sonepat, Panipat, Karnal, Kurukshetra, Ambala and Yamunanagar districts of Haryana.

Infected plants varied from 2 to 10%. In a severely-affected field in Panipat, up to 20% incidence was recorded.

The affected plants showed a severely stunted appearance. The roots were poorly developed and turned brownish.

The infected tillers can be easily pulled out.

● Prelims Take Away:

IARI

SRBSDV

RNA

SOURCE - INDIAN EXPRESS