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FAO calls for high alert on dangerous
wheat fungus
Accra, March 5, Ghanadot/GNA- The Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has called on the
international community to institute measures to ensure that
a new virulent wheat fungus capable of destroying wheat
fields do not spread.
A Press Release issued on Wednesday in Accra said, the
fungus, previously found in East Africa and Yemen has spread
to Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
and Kazakhstan, all major wheat producers, and are most
threatened by the fungus and should be on high alert.
The release said it is estimated that as much as 80 per cent
of all wheat varieties planted in Asia and Africa are
susceptible to the wheat stem rust (puccinia graminis),
adding that, the spores of wheat rust are mostly carried by
wind over long distances and across continents.
It quoted Mr Shivaji Pandey, Director of FAO's Plant
Production and Protection Division of the organization, as
saying that the detection of the wheat fungus in Iran "is
very worrisome"
“The fungus is spreading rapidly and could seriously lower
wheat production in countries at direct risk. Affected
countries and international community have to ensure that
the spread of the disease get under control in order to
reduce the risk to countries that are already hit by high
food prices".
The release said the Irani government has informed FAO that
the fungus has been detected in some of its localities in
Broujerd and Hamedan in Western Iran and laboratory tests
have confirmed the presences of the fungus.
Iran said it would enhance its research capacity to face the
new infection and develop new wheat varieties resistant to
the disease.
According to the release the wheat fungus known as Ug99,
first emerged in Uganda in 1999 and the wind-borne
trans-boundary pest subsequently spread to Kenya and
Ethiopia.
Disease surveillance and wheat breeding is already underway
to monitor the fungus and to develop Ug99 resistant variety.
GNA
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