Weather Impacts Cause Bacterial Leaf Blight in Taitung Rice Fields; Agricultural Research Station Issues Alert

(Central News Agency, Taitung County, 16th) The weather during the plum rain season has been cloudy and sunny, with wind and rain influencing the situation. The Taitung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station has monitored the appearance of bacterial leaf blight in rice fields in Taitung and urges farmers to strengthen patrols of their fields, as an expansion of the epidemic will affect production. The Agricultural Research and Extension Station of the Ministry of Agriculture issued an alert on its official website today. Currently, rice growth in the Taitung area has mostly entered the heading stage. It is just in time for the plum rain season, with cloudy and sunny weather. Afternoon or evening light rain or showers often occur. According to the rice epidemic monitoring of the Taitung Agricultural Research and Extension Station, scattered symptoms of bacterial leaf blight have appeared in rice fields in Taitung. The Taitung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station stated that bacterial leaf blight is a rice epidemic. The occurrence of this disease is influenced by the climate. If the climate is suitable, an epidemic may erupt in a short period. The Taitung Agricultural Research and Extension Station urges farmers to strengthen patrols of their fields and take effective prevention measures. The Taitung District Agricultural Research and Extension Station stated that bacterial leaf blight is greatly influenced by wind and rain. Strong winds cause friction on leaves, creating wounds, which is conducive to infection by pathogenic bacteria, and rainwater and dew are conducive to the growth of pathogenic bacteria. Bacteria sludge often forms on the edges of leaves and spreads with rainwater splashing or when people walk in the fields. After bacterial leaf blight infection, yellow-white stripes are produced along the leaf edges, the surroundings of the stripes form a wavy shape, and the lesion curls inward after it dries, which is the main symptom of bacterial leaf blight. If farmers have questions about prevention and control, they can contact the Plant Protection Research Room of the Taitung Agricultural Research and Extension Station (089-325015). (Editor: Chen Renhua) 1150516