India unaffected but fully prepared to tackle dreaded wheat rust: Shri Pawar INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON Ug 99 INAUGURATED
	16:51 IST

There is no threat to India from the dreaded wheat steam rust Ug99. Moreover, if in future the disease happens to spread to India the country¡¦s agricultural research system is fully geared up to tackle it. This assurance came from Agriculture Minister, Shri Sharad Pawar as he inaugurated the International Conference on Wheat Stem Rust Ug99 ƒ{ A Threat to Food Security, here today. The Conference is being attended by about 150 scientists and representatives from international organizations and watchdog bodies in this area. Shri Pawar informed the Conference that Indian scientists have screened 442 wheat materials against the disease and many Indian varieties have been found with resistance to Ug99. In the current year, out of the 318 Indian wheat materials tested so far, 78 have been found resistant to the disease. The seeds of resistant varieties already released are being multiplied. In 2007-08, nearly 450 tonne breeder seed of 11 such varieties has been produced for further multiplication this year. The Minister also informed that the SAARC countries have started regional cooperation to conduct joint research, survey, training, technology improvement, and spread and adoption of new technology to ward off the threat perceived from Ug99. While complimenting ICAR an international organisations for working in close coordination to check the spread of the disease, Shri Pawar emphasised the need for enhancing international cooperative research to identify the most appropriate and effective strategy to tackle the Ug99 menace. The gathering was also addressed by the Agriculture Ministers of Afghanistan and Bangladesh, and Director General (ICAR) Dr. Mangala Rai. Stem rust of wheat has been the most destructive disease of wheat and barley, and has inflicted very heavy losses worldwide, sometimes to the tune of more than 40%. The organism is a fungus called Puccinia graminis tritici. One unusually potent race of this fungus was detected in Uganda in 1999 (named Ug99). Subsequently, it quickly spread to the neighbouring countries [Kenya and Ethiopia] and crossed the Red Sea. There are reports of its occurrence in Iran at a relatively faster pace than what was expected. Not only did it spread quickly, it also generated newer variants able to break the resistance of the varieties grown in the region. This quick spread and ability to generate variant forms brought the wheat community on high alert, prompting Nobel laureate Dr. Norman Borlaug to declare it as a global threat. In India, the occurrence of this rust had been a regular feature before introduction of semi-dwarf varieties. Despite having not faced any epidemic since last four decades, the strategy of conducting regular countrywide survey and surveillance continued to be in place to monitor the occurrence of all wheat diseases in different regions of the country. Trap-nurseries are also raised to monitor the chance of any stray infection of the disease. So far any presence of Ug99 or its variants has not been noticed from any part of our country. Not willing to take any chances with the potential threat, ICAR has taken necessary steps in wheat research programme to safeguard the wheat crop against destructive pathogen like Ug99. In view of the fact that the Ug99 does not exist in India, the testing of resistance against it can only be undertaken in Kenya where the disease is prevalent. Hence ICAR, in collaboration with International Wheat and Maize Research Centre (CIMMYT), Mexico, has started a testing program of wheat at Njoro in Kenya since 2005. As stated by the Minister, the tests have shown that there are many Indian wheat varieties with resistance to Ug99 and its variants. MP:CP:wheatstem(6.11.2008)