Hisar farm varsity scientists identify new disease hitting strawberry crop

Agriculture scientists from Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (HAU) Hisar, claimed to have identified a new pathogen Colletotrichum nymphaeae responsible for the deadly crown rot disease in strawberries. This marks the first time the pathogen has been identified in the country, they claim.

This disease has previously caused significant damage to strawberry crops, with an estimated loss of 20-22 per cent last year alone. Vice-Chancellor Prof BR Kamboj has asked the scientists to begin work on managing the disease hoping that effective solutions will soon be developed.

A university spokesperson said the international publishing house Elsevier, renowned for its academic and scientific journal, has recognised the discovery. The findings were published in Physiological and Molecular Plant Pathology, a prestigious journal known for acknowledging new plant diseases globally. The journal is a platform for research in plant diseases, and HAU scientists are now the first researchers in India to report this disease, he said.

Prof Kamboj congratulated the scientists on the achievement and emphasised the importance of timely recognition of emerging threats in agriculture. He urged the team to focus on strict monitoring of the disease’s spread and to work quickly on developing effective control measures.

Dr Rajbir Garg, the Director of Research, said Hisar had become a major strawberry farming hub in Northern India, with around 700 acres dedicated to strawberry cultivation in Syahadwa and adjoining villages. He informed that the crown rot disease caused significant damage to the crops in the region. The strawberries from Syahadwa village in Hisar are now sought after internationally, with farmers in nearby villages like Chanana, Harita, and Miran also taking up strawberry farming inspired by the success of Syahadwa’s farmers.

The university’s efforts to introduce strawberry farming in the region back in 1996 have laid the foundation for a successful strawberry cluster in Hisar. However, biological factors, including crown rot, remain a significant concern. Dr Aadesh Kumar, the lead researcher on crown rot, explained that the scientists are actively working on targeted measures to understand the disease’s spread and mitigate its impact on strawberry production.

The university spokesperson said the research was a collaborative effort by the university’s scientific team, including Anil Kumar Saini, Sushil Sharma, Rakesh Gehlot, Anil Kumar, Rakesh Kumar, Rajesh Kumar, Vikas Kumar Sharma, Romi Rawal, RPS Dalal, and PhD student Shubham Saini.

Haryana Tribune