Sindh Agriculture Minister directs to control disease spread in mango orchards

KARACHI, May 6: Sindh's Agriculture Minister, Sardar Muhammad Bakhsh Mahar, has issued a notice after the discovery of disease spreading in mango orchards. Urgent directives have been given to concerned officials to swiftly deploy teams in affected areas to control the spread of the disease.
According to the directive, Secretary Agriculture Rafique Ahmed Barro and Director General Agriculture have been instructed to take immediate measures to control the disease spreading in mango orchards. Prompt insecticide spraying is recommended to combat the disease affecting mango orchards.
It's noteworthy that the Agriculture Department had issued important instructions for the protection of the mango crop a few days ago. Farmers were advised to cover trees with plastic sheets to protect them from various diseases. This method prevents insects from crawling out of the soil, thus reducing the risk of mango fruit fly attacks.
A department spokesperson highlighted that during the phase of fruit formation and emergence of new leaves, mango fruit flies can cause significant damage, resulting in reduced fruit yield. They emphasized that farmers can prevent losses by adopting effective pest control measures. It was further explained that leaves can become curled and twisted in various places due to this disease, but diligent farmers can prevent damage by implementing practical methods of prevention.
Farmers were advised to pay special attention to mango orchards and trees. If any infected flowers are spotted, they should be promptly pruned and disposed of to prevent further harm to healthy flowers.
Farmers were also advised to apply one kilogram of urea fertilizer per plant to mango trees and maintain irrigation to keep the fruit healthy. Additionally, they should use aphid-killing pesticides at intervals of 10 to 14 days to ensure that the mango crop remains unaffected by the disease.