Cold, fog might affect rabi crops

The severe cold and fog in north India is expected to affect the rabi crops, said agricultural scientists.

The scientists said the crops don't get enough sunlight due to which the photosynthesis process slows down which impacts the growth of the crops.

Executive Director of the Mustard Research Directorate in Bharatpur, Rajasthan, under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), P.K. Rai told IANS: "As of now the effect of fog is not much on the mustard crop but complaints of white rust on mustard plants are coming in from some areas of Bharatpur, Alwar division."

Scientist and Project Co-auditor of the Indian Pulses Research Institute under ICAR G.P. Singh said the gram crop has also not been affected much because of fog but in such a condition due to lack of photosynthesis the growth of the crops gets affected.

Due to the cold and fog, complaints of late blight in potatoes have been received from Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. An advisory has also been released by the Central Potato Research Institute.

Dr. Manoj Kumar, Joint Deputy Director of the Central Potato Research Institute - Regional Centre, Modipuram, Meerut told IANS that the severe cold conditions and fog have made potatoes prone to late blight and we have even received complaints from some ares.

However, the cold and fog have not had any impact on the main rabi crop, wheat. Gyanendra Pratap Singh, Director, Indian Wheat and Barley Research Institute (IWBRI), Karnal, Haryana said the fog won't have any impact on wheat. The growth of the crop might get affected a bit but it will recover later. However, if the weather conditions remain unfavourable at the time of ripening of the wheat crop, then the yield gets affected. IANS