Source: IE
Context:
India’s mustard crop — the backbone of indigenous edible oil production — is facing a growing biotic threat from a parasitic weed, Orobanche aegyptiaca, prompting concerns over farm incomes, oilseed self-reliance and crop sustainability.
Why Mustard Matters
- Largest indigenous oilseed crop of India
- Cultivated on ~9 million hectares
- Key contributor to:
- Edible oil availability
- Import substitution
- Crop diversification in rabi season
- Central to India’s National Mission on Edible Oils–Oilseeds
The Weed: Orobanche aegyptiaca
Nature
- A root-parasitic weed
- Lacks chlorophyll → depends entirely on host plant
- Attaches to mustard roots underground
Why It Is Dangerous
- Damage begins before visible emergence
- Extracts:
- Water
- Nutrients
- Photosynthates
- Yield loss becomes irreversible by the time detection is possible
Persistence
- One plant produces 40,000–45,000 seeds
- Seeds remain viable in soil for up to 20 years
- Creates long-term soil infestation
Emerging Solutions
1. Herbicide-Tolerant Mustard Hybrids
- Enable selective weed control
- Allow use of specific herbicides without harming crop
- Being trialled by farmers in affected areas
2. Biotechnological Approaches
- Development of:
- Multi-herbicide resistant mustard lines
- Potential for:
- Precision weed control
- Reduced yield loss
