2 barangays reminded planting rice isn’t always fun

TWO barangays in Asturias in Cebu’s southwestern flank were declared under a state of calamity after more than 50 hectares of rice fields there were badly hit by rice tungro disease (RTD).

The Asturias Municipal Council passed a resolution last May 9 to declare a state of calamity in Barangays Bago and Lunas because of the RTD infestation in its rice-producing areas.

Cebu Provincial Agriculturist Roldan Saragena has also ordered all affected farmers in the two barangays to conduct mitigating measures, including planting legumes in the affected rice plantations to cut off the virus’s life cycle.

Based on a report provided by the Asturias municipal agriculture office, 33.75 hectares or 78.49 percent of the 43 hectares of rice fields in Barangay Lunas were affected by RTD, while 20.75 hectares were also affected in Barangay Bago.

The two barangays have reportedly been suffering from the infestation for almost six months, said Asturias Mayor Jose Antonio Pintor.

The combined population of these two barangays (1,940 for Bago and 2,401 for Lunas) represents about nine percent of the town’s population of 47,857 as of 2015.

Rice Tungro Disease or Rice Tungro Bacilliform Virus (RTBV) is transmitted plant-to-plant by the green leafhopper.

Once the plant is infected, it shows stunting and red to yellow-orange discoloration, and its grain yields are reduced.

Saragena said he sent a team yesterday to check on the extent of the plant disease’s damage on the rice plantations in the two barangays. Saragena said he received reports that all affected plantations were badly damaged. (with AZDL of Superbalita Cebu)