Context:
Recently, several farmers raised the concern over “foot rot” disease in the saplings of the Basmati variety of paddy in the nurseries.
Relevance:
GS II: Health
Dimensions of the Article:
- About Foot rot disease
- About Basmati Rice
About Foot Rot Disease:
- Foot rot disease, also known as Bakanae Disease, is a fungal infection that affects the Basmati variety of paddy.
- It is caused by the fungus Fusarium verticillioides.
- The disease is both soil and seed-borne, meaning it can be transmitted through contaminated soil or infected seeds.
- Infected saplings exhibit symptoms such as pale yellow coloration, elongation, and eventual drying, leading to plant death.
- In some cases, symptoms may appear after transplantation, with infected plants growing taller than normal before wilting and dying.
About Basmati Rice:
- Basmati rice is highly regarded for its quality and is a prominent agricultural product of India.
- It is primarily cultivated in seven states: Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
- Basmati rice holds a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, highlighting its unique origin and characteristics.
- When cooked, Basmati rice exhibits desirable traits such as a pleasant mouthfeel, aromatic fragrance, and long grain length.
- It has a significant market abroad and contributes around ₹30,000 crores in foreign exchange annually.
-Source: The Hindu
