Efforts should be made to fight CLVC effects: Speakers

FAISALABAD: Cotton Leaf Curl Virus (CLCV) is badly affecting the cotton production that is considered the backbone of our economy. It is imperative to boost up efforts to fight the virus.

This was stated by the experts at inauguration of two-day 8th National Conference of Pakistan Phytopathological Society (PPS) at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) at Old Senate Hall here on Monday.

The session was presided over by UAF Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan while the Faculty of Agriculture Dean Professor Dr. Muhammad Ashfaq was guest of honor on the occasion.

Talking about production of various crops, Professor Dr. Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that In Pakistan, the disease was first observed near the cotton belt of Multan on a few cotton plants in 1967.

Since the disease was of minor importance, it did not attract serious attention although it had been noticed subsequently. Yet in 1992-1993 it appeared in epidemic form, which decreased cotton yield to 9.05 million bales and further decreased it to 8.04 million bales during 1993-94.

He said that various diseases played havoc with the production of citrus, guava mangoes.

He expressed his concerns over the Shesham dieback which is affecting the tree badly from the country.

He stressed the need to take up the matter that was in the vital interest of the country. He said that the wheat rust broke out in 1995 caused to 40 percent of crop loss in the country.

He said that viruses including cotton leaf curl and citrus bent leaf also became responsible for the devastation of the crops. PPS President Dr. Mumtaz Hussain said that the society has the tradition of organizing national conference on the pathology in a bid to solve the issue of the farming community.

He said that the society was set up in 1987 to serve the sector with the commitment to solve the problems of farmers. He said that the scientists of the society remained busy in assessing the diseases of the various crops for increasing the agricultural production.

Sardar Muhammad Mughal from the Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi suggested for setting plant disease clinics that will help overcome the diseases.

He said that increased urbanization was also aggregating the plantpathology problems across the country.

The independent Section of Plant Pathology however, came into existence in April 1947. The present Department of Plant Pathology was shifted to new campus in 1976. In 2008, five research groups in the discipline of Plant Pathology were established. Prof Dr Shahbaz Talib Sahi also spoke on the occasion. (APP)