Asaja denounces Pyricularia fungus causes a 15% decrease in the valencian rice harvest

September 1, 2015

The Valencian rice sector is facing a very difficult season. The combination of high temperatures and high humidity that has characterized the development of summer has dramatically favored the proliferation of the fungus Pyricularia oryzae whose continuous attacks on plants are having dire consequences on the development of rice cultivation in all areas Valencian production: from the natural park of L’Alfufera to the Pego-Oliva marshes and Almenara.

So much so, that the analysis made by the technical services of the Valencian Association of Farmers (AVA-ASAJA) allows for the production of rice in Valencia suffer an average decline of 15% over the previous year, a circumstance It will in turn result in economic losses for growers of almost 5.6 million euros.

Bomba rice variety which accounts for around 10% of the total harvest of this cereal-Valencian is the one that will suffer a significant decrease which will lead to around 21% over last year, according to the first estimates, which could even lead to shortage of this variety in the markets. In some areas of Pego and Massanassa, where pyricularia disease, caused by the fungus of the same name, has appeared even more virulent the decline in production will exceed 50%.

As for the other varieties -the J.Sendra, Fonsa- Gleva and the degree of involvement on initially planned harvest will be 14%. The accumulation of organic matter (mainly rice straw) has been another factor that has favored the development of the fungus.

According to AVA-ASAJA, the severity with which this campaign are being felt on the Valencian rice lethal effects of pyricularia is of particular concern because, as already reported last August the agricultural organization, the Ministry of Agriculture He authorized the completion of a third treatment plant or terrestre- -aéreo to combat the spread of the fungus, but its results have not been as favorable as could be expected at first.

Reflection on the effectiveness of the current strategy

The president of AVA-ASAJA, Cristóbal Aguado says about that “pyricularia is ravaging rice cultivation even though this year could make a third treatment instead of the two that had been allowing in recent times . Farmers and administrations have to make a joint reflection about what happened, about the actual effectiveness of the active ingredients used to combat the disease, whether the plants have developed resistance to them or on whether to design a new strategy if current methods are not shown sufficiently effective, but what we can not remain impassive in the face of such a serious problem “arms.

Besides pyricularia main trigger for the decline in crop and economic losses they will suffer the rice also the proliferation of weeds has influenced significantly in the problematic situation facing this sector, since their massive presence has increased production costs by more than 20% by forcing both increase the rice treatments like to hire more labor to pluck.

Source: AVA-Asaja