Wheat blast: a new threat to food security

Phytopathology Research

Table 2 Comparative status of blast incidence during 2016–2019 in Bangladesh (Data source: BWMRI)

Events	2016	2017	2018	2019
Infection time	Mid-February	Mid-January	Early-February	Mid-January
Weather condition	Rain at flowering time (35 mm in Feb.) with warm temperature (min. 18–23 °C, and max. 21–28 °C)	High humidity due to fog at flowering and warm temperature (min. 16–18 °C and max. 24–26 °C)	Fluctuation of day-night temperature (min. 10–12 °C and max. 26–28 °C) with high humidity/fog	High humidity due to fog at flowering and warm temperature (min. 8–16 °C and max. 24–31 °C)
Area affected	15,000 ha (DAE)	22 ha (DAE)	15 ha (DAE)	Not estimated
Yield losses	25–30%	5–10%	1–5%	1–5%
Affected districts	Meherpur, Jhenaidah, Chuadanga, Jashore, Pabna, Kushtia, Barisal & Bhola	Previous districts + some additional districts: Faridpur, Rajshahi & Magura	Previous districts + Rajbari, Natore, Tangail & Jamalpur	Previous districts + Naogaon, Mymensingh, Madaripur & Narail

Data sources: BWMRI, Bangladesh Wheat and Maize Research Institute; DAE, Department of Agricultural Extension