IIHR’s Arka Shakti root stock could help farmers tackle Gummy Stem Blight disease in watermelon
The scientists noted that soil develops infection when watermelon is cultivated in the same soil without any crop rotation for a long time
The Indian Institute of Horticulture Research (IIHR) has developed a new hybrid root stock called Arka Shakti that could help Indian farmers combat the Gummy Stem Blight (GSB) disease in watermelon crops. GSB is a fungal disease that primarily affects watermelon and is often accompanied by another fungal disease called Fusarium.
Farmers in the Chamarajanagar, Mandya, Bidar, and Kalaburagi districts of Karnataka have noticed a significant decrease in watermelon cultivation due to the susceptibility of the crop to GSB. The IIHR scientists claim that Arka Shakti is resistant to GSB and can be used with existing watermelon varieties without any risk of fungal diseases.
Grafting plants with this root stock can be done through nurseries, which charge around ₹6 to ₹8 per plant. Although the extra cost of using Arka Shakti root stock is ₹15,000 per acre, farmers can expect increased yields and profits due to disease-free, high-quality watermelons. IIHR is training Indian nurseries to help introduce this new root stock commercially to farmers.
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