IAR moves to tackle strange disease affecting okra plants

The Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria says it has obtained samples and commenced investigations for the remedy of the new strange virus disease affecting Okra plants in the country. Prof Mohammed-Faguji Ishiyaku, Executive Director of the institute, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Zaria. Ishiyaku said that […]

The Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria says it has obtained samples and commenced investigations for the remedy of the new strange virus disease affecting Okra plants in the country.

Prof Mohammed-Faguji Ishiyaku, Executive Director of the institute, made this known in an interview with newsmen in Zaria.

Ishiyaku said that the samples of the crop were being cultured at the institute’s laboratories with a view to identifying the real virus and insect involved in the transmission of the disease.

Recall that the National Horticultural Research Institute had detected a new virus disease attacking Okra plants across Nigeria resulting in more than 70 per cent loss of okra plants in certain situations.

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Ishiyaku said on receipt of the report, the institute sent its scientists round to assess the situation in Kaduna State and other places.

“The disease is an epidemic because it is prevalent across the country and the immediate assessment based on our scientists’ expertise also confirmed the strange disease to be a viral infection.

“From scientific findings, such viral disease was transmitted by some insects (vectors); unfortunately unlike bacterial or fungal disease viral infections don’t have chemical control measures,’’ he said.

The executive director said the interim solution was to spray the okra field with insecticides that would control the insects such that the disease would not spread to other farmland.

However, Ishiyaku emphasised that fruits produced by the infected okra were healthy for consumption.

He, therefore, advised the farmers to clean their fields with chemicals before the next farming and obtain their seeds from a healthy source.