THE EDITOR, Sir:
QUITE OFTEN articles on plant diseases appear in The Gleaner. Invariably, the reason for the spread of the disease, these articles say, is that "farmers continued to acquire planting material from infested sources..." The article on "More disease-resistant ginger needed" of May 16, 2002 seems to suggest that if only the farmers get disease-free ginger planting material, the disease would be kept away. I wish that it were that easy.
My wish aside, it is the same kind of talk for the papaya ringspot disease. More recently, the impact of the citrus tristeza virus on citrus orchards is to be reduced or cured by healthy certified seedlings. And we are hearing that there is, to date, no resistant varieties for lethal yellowing disease of coconut. Recently, a sugarcane farmer found the soil on his farm to be sick; and another wrote that root rot is significantly impeding yield. Around 1991-92, it was reported that a solo papaya farmer said that the ringspot disease is here to stay.
We know from reports that great attempts are being made to come up with resistant varieties for every crop that encounters diseases.
Perhaps it is only a few crops like pasture grass, guinep, ackee and forest trees are yet to be bothered by serious diseases. It might be that these unaffected crops are spared because they are not indiscriminately sprayed and fertilised. The soil being mismanaged over the decades is now showing the extent of the abuse. Alas, the losses due to the diseases of these crops are immeasurable.
In the meantime, I will continue to read with amazement the reason that these articles put forward for the numerous diseases that cause such crippling losses.
I am, etc.,
B.B. EVANS
Deanery Road
Kingston 3
