SWABI: Due to intermittent rains and cloudy weather over the past weeks the wheat crop here has been attacked by rust disease.

Farmers and agriculturalists told Dawn on Tuesday that they feared low production of wheat this year as the rust disease was fast destroying the crop.

The growers said consistent rains had shattered their hope of a bumper yield this year to not only fulfill their own food needs but also sell the extra grain. They said the rust attack came at a very critical stage of the crop when it was about to be harvested. They said if the wet weather continued it would prove more harmful for the crop.

“The rain has proved very beneficial for the tobacco crop and various kinds of vegetables but lethal for wheat crop,” said Gul Nabi Khan of Maneri Bala village.

The agriculturalists said rust always attacked the wheat crop in cold and wet weather. Repeated use of the same seed often results in the rust disease attacking the crop, Khan Aman, who completed his higher education from Agriculture University Peshawar, said, adding the government should tell the farmers not to sow old seed repeatedly.

The growers said rust attack was common in low-lying fields, adding the wheat crop needed a sunny weather and clear sky at this stage.

“The wetness of the soil weakens the stem and it cannot produce grain,” Imtiaz Khan of Gar village said.

“If the rain also happens in April the crop would develop black strains, dashing our hope of having a good yield,” Farooq Khan of Saleem Khan village said.

IMPOSTER ARRESTED: An imposter introducing himself as the police’s special branch official was arrested by Yar Hussain police on Tuesday, SHO Ajab Durrani said.

He said during investigations it was revealed that the man identified as Mehboob Ali of Shabaz Gari, Mardan, used fake identity card of the special branch to deceive people. He said the accused was wanted to Shabaz Gari police in two murder cases.

A case was registered against him.

Published in Dawn, March 30th, 2016