Pomegranate farmers get respite from bacterial blight

Pune-based Swasti Agro has developed technology which fights prevention of baceterial blight disease

Appa Thombre, 70, a pomegranate grower in Majalgaon of Beed district, suffered heavy losses in pomegranate farming due to bacterial blight (also known as Telya in local language) till last year. But, this year, he is able to control the disease and is getting good yield. Thombre is thankful to the treatment developed by Pune based Swasti Agro & Bioproducts. The treatment is based on the principle of building disease resistance into crops.

"We successfully tested this newly developed (under patenting) technology for prevention of the bacterial blight Telya disease over the last six months in nine districts and across 600 farms. It is a daunting problem for pomegranate farmers in India. India loses about Rs 10,000 crore in production of pomegranate and about Rs 2000 crore as export opportunity loss every year due to this disease. Hence, farmers are suffering heavy losses, and many of them have even uprooted the orchards," said Abhay Shendye, director, Swasti Agro & Bioproducts.

According to Shendye, India is the second largest exporter of pomegranate after Spain. Apart from pomegranate, Telya is a a major roadblock in managing and controlling a devastating disease among mango and citrus. These diseases are mainly caused by Xanthomonas pathogens and were first noticed in India.

Speaking to Business Standard, Thombre said, "The treatment has benefited us and the disease is now almost under control. It is cost-effective. Over 50 farmers in this area are now using the treatment and are extremely satisfied about it." Thombre grows pomegranate over 18 acres of land.

Shendye added, "Conventional treatments focus on killing the pathogen whereas Swasti products build disease resistance in plants, and minimize the survival potential of the pathogen in nature. This alternate approach of disease prevention and/or early control was well received by the farmers, and provided them visually obvious disease control and meaningful economic gains."

The Department of Biotechnology has sanctioned grant of Rs 50 lakh for research to Swasti Agro & Bioproducts, which they expect to get in three phases. Also, the company has developed an android application Happy Crop which provides information about the disease and over 1,000 farmers are using it. The solution is 50 per cent cost-effective as compared to other solutions. Normally, a farmer spends Rs 16,000 per acre to prevent this disease while Shendye claims that a farmer will have spend only Rs 6,000 per acre.