Tungro Pest Damages Hundreds Of Hectares Of Rice Land In South Kalimantan, Provincial Government Prepares Medicines For Handling

Rice plants in South Kalimantan attacked by tungro pests (ANTARA/HO)

BANJARMASIN - The Provincial Government of South Kalimantan through the food crops and horticulture department is trying to deal with the tungro pest attack which has damaged hundreds of hectares of rice land.

The tungro pest or tungro virus is known to infect rice plants until they become stunted, the leaves are yellow to orange yellow with brownish spots, the yellow leaves appear slightly twisted. Leaf color changes starting from the tip, extending to the base.

According to the Head of the South Kalimantan Food Crops and Horticulture Service, Syamsir Rahman, hundreds of hectares of rice plants in this province were attacked by the tungro pest and damaged.

"The tungro pest attack occurred in agricultural areas in Tanah Laut Regency, Barito Kuala Regency and Banjar Regency," he explained in Banjarmasin, Antara, Tuesday, May 10.

With temporary data, in Tanah Laut Regency it is 100 hectares, in Barito Kuala Regency it is 400 hectares and Banjar Regency is 150 hectares. Due to this situation, the provincial government through its agencies and the Center for the Study of Agricultural Technology, as well as the district agriculture office, has carried out the tungro pest control movement.

The movement is being carried out by preparing medicines and other necessities to overcome and isolate the tungro pest so that it does not attack more widely.

"The governor has also instructed that this issue be taken seriously, including the distribution of adequate medicines for treatment," said Syamsir.

He also stated that the emergence of this tungro pest was due to changing weather, in addition to the impact of flooding.

"The weather in our area is sometimes hot, sometimes it rains, this causes the spread of tungro pests to be easier, so we always together with the agricultural technology study center and the district office every day we carry out control movements that we carry out," he said.