A new fungal infection was found impacting the tea leaf quality and hence the tea industry in Assam, claimed recent research by a team of Assam University scientists.

 

SILCHAR: A new fungal infection was found impacting the tea leaf quality and hence the tea industry in Assam, claimed recent research by a team of Assam University scientists. The team, steered by Dr. Piyush Pandey, a professor of microbiology, had termed the fungal infection ‘leaf necrosis’ after two years of thorough research done at the department laboratory on the specimens collected from various tea gardens in Cachar and Dibrugarh. Though a similar occurrence of this fungal infection in tea leaves was first found in China and reportedly noticed in other plants in India, this is the first time it was found in the tea leaf of Assam, Dr. Pandey claimed. He further stated that this type of fungus usually causes infectious diseases in plants, subsequently impacting productivity. Maintaining that necrosis fungus leads to various infections, Dr. Pandey said, since it had been newly found in this part of the country, hence further as well as advanced research was required to chalk out ways to preventive measures as the fungus, known for its resilience against pesticides, had a track record of rapid spread of infection. The research further found that this fungus could potentially reduce tea production by 50 percent. 

 

Ishwar Bhai Ubadhiya, the manager of Rosekandy TE, also endorsed the findings of the research in the practical field, as he expressed concern about the probable impact of the fungus infection on the already sick tea industry in the valley.