ISLAMABAD: Scientists in Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province have developed a potato variety that can withstand smoggy conditions and are working to come up with more, state media reported on Tuesday as Islamabad seeks to protect the food crop from worsening air pollution.
Pakistani cities in the eastern Punjab province regularly rank among the world’s most polluted ones during the winter season each year. Prolonged exposure to smog has increasingly affected agriculture and reduced sensitive crops’ yields. This results in delayed harvests as poor air quality increases the vulnerability of crops to pests and diseases.
Scientists at the Potato Research Institute (PRI) in Punjab’s Sahiwal city have been working to develop potato varieties capable of withstanding conditions of smog and fog, according to the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).
“Among locally produced varieties, Ijaz-22 is a smog-specific potato that has successfully tolerated smoggy conditions in Punjab,” Dr. Syed Ijazul Hassan, PRI Director Sahiwal, said as per the APP.
“PRI has already developed 12 fog-tolerant, high-yielding potato varieties and is now focusing on smog-tolerant lines.”
Hassan called for integrated pest management and promotion of sustainable agricultural practices to help reduce the effects of smog on potato crops, according to APP.
He said multiple factors, including rising temperatures, shifting rain patterns and reduced water availability contribute to falling potato output. Hassan highlighted that smog inhibits photosynthesis, promoting the spreading of diseases such as blight and lowers overall tuber quality.
Other diseases affecting potato crops in Punjab include Potato Leafroll Virus, Potato Virus Y, mosaic virus, early blight, brown leaf spot, Rhizoctonia, common scab and black leg, APP said.
According to Hassan, PRI produced 60 tons of potato seed this year, of which 4.55 tons were distributed among farmers.
The state media quoted Potato Growers Cooperative Society’s Vice Chairman Chaudhary Maqsood Ahmad Jatt as saying that Pakistan could export potatoes to at least 37 countries, with China being a key destination, between January and April.
